ABDALLAH 


THE  FOUR-LEAVED  SHAMROCK 


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81 


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1  '«RARY 

UlilVtRSITY'OF 
CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


ABDALLAH 

OR  THE  FOUR-LEAVED  SHAMROCK 


ABDALLAH 


THE  FOUR-LEAVED  SHAMROCK 


EDOUARD  RENE  LEFEBVRE-LABOULAYE 


TRANSLATED   BY 

MARY   L.  BOOTH 


INDIANAPOLIS  USA 

THE   BOBBS-MERRILL  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT    NINETEEN    HUNDRED    FIVE 
THE  HOHHS-MERUII.L  COMPANY  :  NOVEMUEH 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PACK 

I  THE  JOY  OF  THE  HOUSE 1 

II  THE  HOROSCOPE 8 

III  EDUCATION 16 

IV  THE  RECOGNITION 29 

V  THE  NEW  SOLOMON 37 

VI  VIRTUE  REWARDED 52 

VII  BARSIM 62 

VIII  THEJEW 70 

IX  THE  WELL  OF  ZOBEYDE 78 

X  THE  COPPER  LEAF 82 

XI  THE  GARDENS  OF  IREM 87 

XII  THE  Two  BROTHERS 90 

XIII  THE  CARAVAN 95 

XIV  CAFOUR 98 

XV  THE  SULTAN  or  CANDAHAR 104 

XVI  THE  ATTACK 108 

XVII  ABDALLAH        117 

XVIII  THE  SILVER  LEAF 123 

XIX  THE  SECRET ,127 

XX  THE  PATIENCE  OF  REYNARD 132 


CHAPTKR  PAGE 

XXI     THE  AUCTION 144 

XXII     THEARRIVAI ...  154 

XXIII  KARASHITAN     ..........  158 

XXIV  HOSPITALITY 163 

XXV     THE  GOLDEN  LEAF 169 

XXVI     THE  RETURN 178 

XXVII     LEILA 183 

XXVIII     VENGEANCE 188 

XXIX     THE  DIAMOND  LEAF 198 

XXX  THE  HAPPINESS  OF  OMAR     ......  193 

XXXI  Two  FRIENDS     .                                                .  206 


PRINTED  UNDER  THE  DIRECTION 
OF  THE  BOOK  CRAFT  CH'B  BY  THE 
HOLLtNBECK  PRESS  INDIANAPOLIS 


ABDALLAH 


THE  JOY  OF  THE  HOUSE 

Djiddah  the  rich,  on 
the  shores  of  the  Red 
Sea,  there  once  lived  an 
Egyptian  merchant,  by 
the  name  of  Hadji  Man- 
sour.  It  was  said  that 
he  had  formerly  been  a 
slave  of  the  great  Ali 
Bey,  and  had  served  by 
turns,  and  sometimes 
even  at  the  same  time, 
the  French  and  the  Turks,  the  Mamelukes  and 
Mehemet  Ah',  in  the  wars  of  Egypt.  During  the 
struggle  each  party  relied  on  him  for  provisions, 
arms,  and  camels;  yet  after  the  battle  he  always 
complained  of  having  ruined  himself  for  the  victor. 
It  is  true  that  at  that  time  no  one  showed  more  zeal, 


ABDALLAH 

and  no  one  obtained  more  cheaply  the  spoils  of  the 
vanquished.  In  this  honest  vocation  the  obliging 
Mansour  had  gained  great  wealth,  though  not  with- 
out some  anxieties.  He  had  been  denounced  by  the 
envious  as  a  spy,  he  had  been  bastinadoed  by  fanatics 
as  a  traitor,  twice  even  he  would  have  been  hanged 
had  it  not  been  for  the  charity  of  a  pacha,  who  had 
consented,  for  the  trifling  sum  of  a  million  piastres,  to 
acknowledge  such  shining  innocence.  Mansour  had 
too  lofty  a  soul  to  be  dismayed  by  these  political 
risks;  and  if  he  retired,  when  peace  was  made,  to 
Djiddah,  it  was  only  because  lawful  commerce  was 
thenceforth  the  only  road  that  led  to  fortune. 

In  this  new  kind  of  life  Mansour  was  neither  less 
prudent  nor  less  successful.  It  was  a  common  report 
that  his  house  was  paved  with  gold  and  precious 
stones.  Little  love  was  bestowed  on  the  Egyptian, 
who  was  a  stranger  in  Arabia,  and  who  passed  for 
one  of  the  harshest  of  creditors;  but  at  Djiddah  men 
dared  not  openly  show  contempt  for  a  man  who  meas- 
ured gold  by  the  bushel,  and  as  soon  as  Mansour 
appeared  in  the  bazaar,  all  ran  to  vie  for  the  honoi- 
of  holding  his  stirrup  and  kissing  his  hand.  The  mer- 
chant received  all  this  homage  with  the  modesty  of 
a  man  who  knows  the  prerogatives  of  wealth :  thirty 
years  of  avarice  and  cunning  had  brought  all  honest 
men  to  his  feet. 

One  thing  alone  was  lacking  to  this  favorite  of  for- 
tune and  disturbed  his  happiness:  he  had  no  children. 
When  he  passed  before  the  shop  of  a  poor  tradesman, 


ABDALLAH 

and  saw  the  father  surrounded  by  young  sons,  the 
hope  and  pride  of  the  house,  he  sighed  with  regret 
and  envy,  and  on  his  return  he  shut  himself  up  in 
his  warehouse,  forgot  his  pipe,  and  instead  of  telling 
his  beads  or  reciting  the  verses  of  the  Koran,  slowly 
stroked  his  white  beard,  reflecting  with  terror  in  his 
heart  that  old  age  was  approaching  and  that  he  should 
leave  none  of  his  flesh  and  blood  behind  him  to  carry 
on  the  business  after  he  was  gone.  His  only  heir  was 
the  pacha,  who  might  grow  tired  of  waiting,  in  which 
case  what  would  hinder  him  from  despatching  a  solitary 
foreigner  and  laying  violent  hands  on  these  dearly 
bought  treasures? 

These  thoughts  and  fears  poisoned  the  life  of  the 
Egyptian.  What  was  his  joy,  therefore,  when  one  of 
his  wives,  an  Abyssinian  woman,  announced  to  him 
that  he  would  soon  be  a  father!  At  this  news  the 
good  man  well-nigh  lost  his  reason.  Twice  as  avari- 
cious and  covetous  since  he  had  begun  to  amass  treas- 
ures for  his  child,  he  shut  himself  up  to  weigh  and 
count  his  gold,  unfolded  his  rich  stuffs,  and  dug  up 
his  diamonds,  pearls,  and  rubies;  then  talked  to  these 
lifeless  things  as  if  they  could  understand  him,  and 
told  them  of  the  new  master  who  would  watch  over 
and  love  them  in  turn.  When  he  went  into  the  city 
he  insisted  on  talking  to  all  he  met  of  his  son,  for  it 
was  a  son  that  God  owed  his  faithful  servant,  and  was 
greatly  astonished  to  see  every  one  attending  to  his 
business  as  usual,  when  all  the  inhabitants  of  Djiddah 
should  have  had  but  one  thought,— namely,  that 


ABDALLAH 

God,  in  his  justice,  was  about  to  bless  the  house  of 
the  shrewd  and  fortunate  Mansour. 

The  Egyptian  was  not  disappointed  in  his  expec- 
tations; and,  that  nothing  might  be  wanting  to  his 
happiness,  a  son  was  born  to  him  at  the  most  favor- 
able hour  of  the  most  auspicious  month  of  the  year. 
When,  on  the  eighth  day,  he  was  permitted  to  see 
his  long-wished-for  child,,  he  tremblingly  approached 
the  palm-tree  cradle,  lined  with  cotton,  where  the 
heir  of  the  Mansours  was  sleeping  on  a  silken  hand- 
kerchief embroidered  with  gold,  and  gently  raising 
the  veil  that  covered  it,  perceived  a  robust  infant, 
almost  as  black  as  his  mother,  already  gathering  the 
cotton  about  him  with  his  tiny  hands.  At  this  sight 
Mansour  stood  dumb  with  admiration;  large  tears 
trickled  down  his  cheeks;  then,  controlling  his  feel- 
ings with  an  effort,  he  took  the  babe  in  his  arms,  and, 
approaching  his  lips  to  its  ear,  "God  is  great"  he 
murmured;  "there  is  no  god  but  God,  and  Moham- 
med is  his  pi-ophet."  More  tranquil  after  this  prayer, 
he  gazed  lovingly  at  his  son.  "Oh,  gift  of  God" 
cried  he,  "thou  art  but  a  week  old,  but,  to  see  thy 
strength  and  gi'ace,  one  would  take  thee  for  a  year 
at  least.  Thy  face  shines  like  the  full  moon!  Say" 
said  he,  turning  to  the  mother,  "what  have  you  named 
him  ?  " 

"If  God  had  afflicted  me  with  a  daughter,"  answered 
the  Ethiopian,  "I  should  have  chosen  a  name  for 
her;  but  since  I  have  had  the  glory  of  bringing  a 
man-child  into  the  world,  to  you  belongs  that  honor. 


ABDALLAH 

Beware,  however,  of  too  ambitious  a  name,  which 
might  arouse  the  jealousy  of  the  evil  eye." 

Mansour  was  reflecting,  when  suddenly  he  heard 
a  noise  in  the  street.  A  Persian  dervish  was  driving 
before  him  an  ass  laden  with  provisions,  while  a 
crowd  of  children  was  following  the  heretic,  and 
showering  him  with  abuse  and  blows.  The  dervish 
pressed  forward  like  a  man  who  neither  feared  nor 
sought  martyrdom,  stopping  now  and  then  to  rail  at 
his  enemies.  "Accursed  be  thou,  O  Omar!"1  cried 
he,  striking  the  ass,  "and  accursed  be  all  who  resem- 
ble thee !  "  "Behold  a  new  proof  of  my  happiness !  " 
cried  Mansour.  "My  child  shall  be  called  Omar; 
such  a  name  will  ward  off  the  evil  eye,  and  preserve 
him  from  all  witchcraft." 

As  he  was  replacing  the  babe  in  the  cradle,  a 
Bedouin  woman  entered  the  room  with  an  infant  in 
her  arms.  She  was  tall  and  well  formed;  her  face 
was  unveiled,  as  is  the  custom  in  the  desert;  and 
her  mien  was  so  graceful  and  dignified  that,  poorly 
clad  as  she  was,  she  might  have  been  taken  for  a 
sultana. 

"Welcome,  Halima"  said  Mansour.  "I  have  not 
forgotten  that  Yusuf,  your  husband,  fell  in  my  service 
while  defending  my  last  caravan.  The  moment  has 
come  to  prove  that  I  am  not  ungrateful.  You  know 
what  I  expect  of  you.  If  I  can  not  make  my  son  a 
sherif  or  give  him  the  green  turban,  I  can  at  least 
cause  him  to  be  brought  up  like  the  son  of  a  sherif, 

1  Homar,  or  Omar,  in  Arabic,  signifies  an  ass. 


ABDALLAH 

under  a  tent,  among  the  noble  Beni  Amurs.  Admitted 
into  your  family,  and  nurtured  with  your  son,  my 
beloved  Omar  will  learn  a  purer  speech  than  mine, 
and  will  find  friends  among  your  kindred  who  will 
protect  him  in  after  years.  On  my  side,  I  shall  fit- 
tingly recognize  and  reward  your  devotion.  Let  the 
friendship  of  our  children  begin  from  this  day;  from 
this  day  let  them  sleep  in  the  same  cradle.  To- 
morrow you  shall  carry  them  away,  that  they  may 
grow  up  together  in  your  tribe.  Omar  shall  be  your 
son  as  Abdallah  shall  be  mine;  may  Fortune  smile 
on  both ! " 

"May  God  be  their  refuge  against  Satan,  the  ac- 
cursed!" answered  Halima,  bowing  her  head.  "We 
are  in  God's  hands;  to  him  we  must  return." 

Mansour  looked  at  her,  smiling.  He  was  a  free- 
thinker and  had  little  faith  in  God,  although  his 
name  was  constantly  on  his  lips.  He  had  lived  too 
long,  and  mixed  too  much  with  men,  to  believe  that 
God  meddles  much  with  the  affairs  of  this  world ;  on 
the  other  hand,  he  had  a  strong  belief  in  the  Devil, 
of  whom  he  stood  in  great  fear.  The  only  action  in 
his  whole  life  for  which  he  reproached  himself  was 
that  of  having  thrown  seven  stones  at  the  great  Devil 
of  Jamrat  at  the  time  of  his  pilgrimage  to  Mecca,  and 
he  still  feared  the  rancor  of  Satan,  whom  he  had 
stoned.  Doubtless  he  was  proud  of  having  cheaply 
earned  the  noble  title  of  hadji,1  which  rendered  him 
worthy  of  respect  in  the  eyes  of  his  customers;  it 

1  Hadji,  or  saint,  is  the  name  given  to  those  who  have  made  the 
pilgrimage  to  Mecca, 


ABDALLAH 

was  with  the  purest  devotion  that  he  spoke  of  the 
Caaba,1  that  gem  of  Paradise  placed  in  the  holy  city 
of  Mecca  by  Father  Abraham,  but  at  heart  he  was 
not  easy  respecting  the  consequences  of  his  impru- 
dence, and  would  even  have  surrendered  the  name 
of  hadji  to  have  been  sure  of  the  Devil's  forgiveness 
for  his  rashness. 

'The  holy  house,  or  principal  temple  of  Mecca. 


II 


THE  HOROSCOPE 

|HE  same  evening,  just  as  the  moon 
was  rising,  the  wise  Mansour  entered 
the  room  where  the  two  children  were 
sleeping  peacefully  in  each  other's 
arms,  followed  by  a  ragged  dervish, 
with  a  dirty,  uncombed  beard,  bear- 
ing a  strong  resemblance  to  the  reviled  heretic  of  the 
morning.  He  was  one  of  those  shameless  beggars 
who  seek  the  fortunes  of  others  in  the  stars  without 
ever  finding  their  own  therein,  and  who,  always  pur- 
sued and  hooted  at,  and  always  employed,  will  last 
as  long  as  the  malice  of  Satan,  or  the  avarice  and 
credulity  of  men.  Halima  was  unwilling  to  leave  the 
children  with  this  suspicious  personage,  but  Mansour 
commanded  it,  and  she  was  forced  to  obey.  Scarcely 
had  she  quitted  the  room  when  the  Egyptian  led  the 
dervish  to  the  cradle,  and  ordered  him  to  draw  his 
son's  horoscope. 

After  attentively  gazing  at  the  child,  the  astrologer 
mounted  the  housetop  and  observed  the  stars;  then, 
taking  a  coal,  he  traced  a  large  circle,  divided  into 


ABDALLAH 

several  compartments,  in  which  he  placed  the  planets, 
and  at  length  declared  that  the  heavens  were  not 
inauspicious.  If  Mars  and  Venus  were  indifferent, 
Mercury,  on  the  contrary,  appeared  under  a  better 
aspect.  This  was  all  he  could  tell  for  the  two  sequins 
that  Mansour  had  given  him. 

The  merchant  led  the  diviner  back  to  the  chamber, 
and  showing  him  two  large  doubloons,  "Is  there  no 
means"  said  he,  "of  knowing  more?  Have  the  stars 
already  revealed  all  their  secrets?" 

"Art  is  infinite"  answered  the  dervish,  pouncing 
on  the  gold;  "I  can  also  tell  you  under  the  influence 
of  what  sign  the  child  is  destined  to  live." 

Drawing  from  his  girdle  a  cabalistic  tablet  and  a 
bronze  pen,  the  astrologer  wrote  the  names  of  the 
child  and  the  mother,  placing  the  letters  in  a  line; 
he  then  calculated  the  numerical  value  of  the  letters, 
and  looking  at  Mansour  with  sparkling  eyes,  "  Happy 
father!"  he  said,  "your  son  is  born  under  the  sign  of 
the  Balance;  if  he  lives,  he  may  expect  everything 
from  fortune." 

"What,  if  he  lives!"  cried  Mansour.  "What  is  it 
that  you  read  on  that  accursed  tablet?  Does  any 
danger  threaten  my  son  ?  " 

"Yes"  replied  the  dervish,  "a  danger  which  I  can 
not  define.  His  best  friend  will  be  his  worst  enemy." 

"  Ha !  what  was  I  about  to  do  ?  "  said  the  Egyptian  - 
"Perchance  this  Bedouin  child,  whom  I  have  placed 
in  my  son's  cradle,  will  one  day  be  his  murderer!  If 
I  thought  so,  I  would  strangle  him  on  the  spot." 


ABDALLAH 

"Beware  of  it"  returned  the  diviner.  "If  your 
son's  life  is  bound  up  with  that  of  this  child,  you  will 
only  kill  them  both  at  one  blow.  There  is  no  proof 
that  this  Bedouin,  destined  to  dwell  among  the  tents, 
will  one  day  be  the  best  friend  of  the  richest  merchant 
of  Djiddah.  Besides,  what  refuge  is  there  against 
destiny?  Can  you  change  what  is  traced  by  the  pen 
of  the  angels?  What  is  written  is  written." 

"Doubtless"  said  the  merchant;  "but  God— His 
name  be  exalted !  — has  said,  in  the  Book  of  Books, 
'Cast  not  yourselves  down  with  your  own  hands  into 
perdition.'" 

"The  day  of  death"  returned  the  dervish,  gravely, 
"is  one  of  the  five  mysteries,  the  key  of  which  God 
holds  in  His  own  hands.  Do  you  remember  the  story 
of  the  man  who  was  with  Solomon  one  day  when 
Azrael  passed  by  the  king  in  a  visible  shape?  Fright- 
ened by  the  look  cast  on  him  by  the  terrible  stranger, 
he  asked  who  he  was ;  and  upon  Solomons  acquainting 
him  that  it  was  the  angel  of  death,  'He  seems  to 
want  me^  said  he ;  'wherefore  order  the  wind  to  carry 
me  hence  to  India.'  Which  being  accordingly  done, 
the  angel  said  to  Solomon,  '  I  looked  so  earnestly  at 
this  man  out  of  wonder,  because  I  was  commanded 
to  take  his  soul  in  India,  and  found  him  with  thee  in 
Palestine.' 

" '  No  man  can  flee  from  death.    Do  as  he  will, 
Falls  soon  or  late  the  arm  e'er  raised  to  strike; 
The  sage  is  he  who  looks  it  in  the  face, 
Nor  fears  nor  braves  the  doom  decreed  by  fate! " 

10 


ABDALLAH 

With  these  words  the  astrologer  bowed  to  take 
leave  of  Mansour,  who  clutched  his  robe. 

"Have  you  anything  more  to  ask  me?"  said  the 
dervish,  looking  attentively  at  the  Egyptian. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  merchant;  "but  I  dare  not 
give  utterance  to  my  thoughts.  Yet  you  seem  to  me 
a  friend,  and  you  will  pardon  a  father's  weakness, 
where  his  son's  interest  is  concerned.  A  wise  man 
like  you,  who  reads  the  stars,  must  have  carried  your 
curiosity  to  great  lengths.  It  is  said  that  there  are 
men  who,  by  dint  of  science,  have  discovered  the 
great  name  of  God  —  that  name  which  has  been 
revealed  only  to  the  apostles  and  the  Prophet  (his 
name  be  blessed!);  that  name  which  suffices  to  raise 
the  dead  and  kill  the  living;  that  name  which  causes 
the  world  to  tremble,  and  compels  the  infernal  pow- 
ers and  Eblis1  himself  to  obey  it  like  a  slave.  Do 
you  perchance  know  one  of  these  learned  men,  and 
do  you  think  that  he  would  refuse  to  oblige  a  man 
who  had  not  the  reputation  of  being  ungrateful?" 

"You  are  prudence  itself,"  returned  the  astrologer, 
in  a  low  voice,  approaching  Mansour;  "you  may  be 
trusted;  yet  words  are  naught  but  wind,  and  the 
fairest  promises  like  dreams  that  take  flight  with  the 
morning." 

For  his  sole  reply  Mansour  thrust  his  right  arm 
into  the  dervish's  long  sleeve,  and  placed  one  finger 
in  his  hand. 

"A  purse !  " 2  exclaimed  the  astrologer,  in  a  disdain- 

1  One  of  the  names  of  Satan  among  the  Arabs. 

2  A  purse  is  about  $-25.00. 

11 


ABDALLAH 

ful  tone;  "it  is  the  price  of  a  camel.  What  madman 
would  evoke  Satan  at  the  risk  of  his  own  life  for  such 
a  trifle?" 

The  Egyptian  stretched  out  a  second  finger,  look- 
ing at  the  dervish,  whose  face  wore  an  air  of  indiffer- 
ence; then,  after  a  moment's  silence,  he  heaved  a 
deep  sigh  and  placed  a  third  finger  in  the  dervish's 
hand. 

"Three  purses"  said  the  astrologer;  "it  is  the  cost 
of  an  infidel  slave.  The  soul  of  a  Mussulman  can  not 
be  bought  at  such  a  price.  Let  us  part,  Mansour,  and 
forget  the  imprudent  words  you  have  spoken." 

"Do  not  abandon  me!  "  cried  the  merchant,  grasp- 
ing the  dervish's  arm  with  his  whole  hand.  "Five 
purses  are  a  large  sum,  and  all  that  I  can  give.  If 
necessary,  I  add  to  it  the  offer  of  my  soul ;  our  com- 
mon peril  will  answer  to  you  for  my  discretion." 

"Give  me  the  five  purses,  then,"  returned  the 
magician,  "and  my  friendship  shall  do  the  rest.  I 
own  my  weakness;  I  have  been  unable  to  see  you 
without  being  drawn  to  you:  may  this  yielding  not 
cost  me  too  dear !  " 

Mansour  brought  the  money.  The  dervish  weighed 
it  several  times,  and  placed  it  in  his  girdle  with  the 
tranquillity  of  a  resolute  heart;  then,  taking  the  lamp, 
he  walked  three  times  round  the  cradle,  murmuring 
strange  words,  waving  the  light  before  the  child's  face, 
and  prostrating  himself  again  and  again  at  the  four 
corners  of  the  room,  followed  by  Mansour,  who  trem- 
bled with  fear  and  anxiety. 

12 


ABDALLAH 

After  all  these  ceremonies,  which  appeared  endless 
to  the  merchant,  the  magician  placed  the  lamp  on  a 
bench  along  the  wall,  and  taking  a  little  box  from 
his  inexhaustible  girdle,  poured  a  black  powder  upon 
the  burning  wick.  A  thick  smoke  instantly  filled  the 
whole  room,  amid  which  Mansour  fancied  that  he  saw 
the  infernal  figure  and  flaming  eyes  of  an  Afrite.1 
The  dervish  seized  him  by  the  arm,  and  both  threw 
themselves  on  the  carpet,  their  faces  buried  in  their 
hands. 

"Speak"  said  the  dervish,  in  a  breathless  voice, 
"speak,  but  do  not  lift  your  head  as  you  value  your 
life.  Make  three  wishes.  Eblis  is  here,  and  will  grant 
your  prayer." 

"I  wish  that  my  son  may  be  rich  all  his  life  "mur- 
mured Mansour. 

"So  be  it!  "  returned  a  strange  voice,  which  seemed 
to  come  from  the  other  end  of  the  room,  though  Man- 
sour  had  seen  the  apparition  before  him. 

"  I  wish  that  my  son  may  always  have  good  health  " 
continued  the  Egyptian,  "for,  without  health,  of  what 
use  is  fortune?" 

"So  be  it!  "  returned  the  voice. 

There  was  a  moment's  silence.  Mansour  hesitated 
as  to  his  third  wish.  "Shall  I  wish  for  wit?"  thought 
he.  "No,  he  is  my  son,  and  he  will  inherit  his  father's 
cunning."  The  dervish's  prediction  suddenly  recurred 
to  his  memory.  "Threatened  by  his  best  friend" 
thought  he,  "there  is  but  one  means  of  safety  for 

1  One  of  the  infernal  genii. 

13 


ABDALLAH 

him ;  namely,  to  love  no  one,  and  to  think  of  himself 
alone.  Besides,  anxiety  for  others  spoils  our  own  life, 
and  those  we  oblige  are  always  ungrateful.  I  wish 
that  my  son  may  love  no  one  but  himself"  said  he, 
at  length. 

"So  be  it"  returned  the  voice,  with  a  terrible  cry, 
which  frightened  the  Egyptian  so  much  that  he  re- 
mained motionless  till  the  dervish  pulled  the  skirt  of 
his  robe  and  commanded  him  to  rise.  At  the  same 
moment  a  jet  of  flame  shot  from  the  lamp,  and  the 
whole  room  seemed  in  a  blaze.  Mansour,  terrified  at 
his  own  rashness,  rushed  to  the  door  to  assure  himself 
that  he  was  still  alive  and  that  nothing  had  changed 
in  the  house. 

While  the  dervish  was  putting  on  his  cloak  and 
sandals  like  a  man  whom  habit  hardens  against  fear, 
a  woman  rushed  to  the  cradle  of  the  infants.  It  was 
Halima,  who  had  remained  near  the  room  during  the 
enchantment,  and  whose  terror  had  been  heightened 
by  Mansour's  sudden  departure.  Her  first  care  was 
to  wet  her  finger  with  her  lips  and  pass  it  over  the 
forehead  of  the  children,  repeating  a  formula  to  ward 
off  the  evil  eye.  The  serenity  of  the  dervish  reassured 
her;  she  blamed  herself  for  having  suspected  this 
pious  personage  of  magic,  who  wore  on  his  face  the 
blissful  tranquillity  of  sanctity,  and,  respectfully  ap- 
proaching him,  she  kissed  the  hem  of  his  robe.  "Holy 
man"  said  she,  "my  son  is  an  orphan,  and  I  am  a  poor 
woman ;  I  can  offer  you  nothing  but  gratitude,  but — ' 

"Well,  well,"  exclaimed  the  astrologer,  "I  know  in 

14 


ABDALLAH 

advance  what  you  would  ask  of  me,— that  your  son 
should  be  rich,  is  it  not?  For  this,  what  need  have 
you  of  my  aid?  Make  him  a  merchant,  and  let  him 
steal  like  old  Mansour;  make  him  a  pacha,  and  let 
him  pillage  his  brethren;  make  him  a  dervish,  and 
let  him  flatter  and  lie.  All  the  vices  lead  to  fortune 
when  they  are  joined  with  the  vilest  of  all,— avarice. 
This  is  the  secret  of  life.  Adieu." 

"This  is  not  what  I  wish"  said  the  astonished 
Halima;  "you  do  wrong  to  deride  me  in  this  way. 
My  son  will  be  an  honest  man  like  his  father;  and 
what  I  wish  is  that  he  may  be  happy  here  on  earth." 

"Virtuous  and  happy!"  cried  the  dervish,  with  a 
sardonic  laugh;  "and  you  address  yourself  to  me! 
My  good  woman,  what  you  want  is  the  four-leaved 
shamrock,  which  none  has  seen  since  Adam.  Let 
your  son  seek  it ;  if  he  finds  it,  be  sure  that  he  will 
lack  for  nothing." 

"What  is  the  four-leaved  shamrock?"  cried  the 
anxious  mother;  but  the  magician  had  disappeared, 
never  more  to  return.  Man  or  demon,  none  has  since 
beheld  him.  Halima,  full  of  emotion,  bent  over  the 
cradle  and  gazed  at  her  son,  who  seemed  to  smile  on 
her  in  his  sleep.  "Rest  in  peace,"  said  she,  "and  rely 
on  my  love.  I  know  not  what  this  talisman  is  of 
which  the  dervish  speaks,  but  child  of  my  soul!  we 
will  seek  it  together,  and  something  tells  me  that 
you  will  find  it.  Satan  is  cunning  and  man  is  weak, 
but  God  rules  the  heart  of  his  faithful,  and  does 
what  he  will." 

15 


Ill 


EDUCATION 

|N  choosing  the  Bedouin  woman  to 
whom  to  intrust  Omar,  Mansour  had 
given  a  new  proof  of  his  usual  pru- 
dence. From  the  first  day  Halima 
showed  her  nursling  all  a  mother's 
affection,  and  tended  him  more  care- 
fully than  her  own  offspring.  When  she  was  forced 
to  leave  her  tent,  the  cherished  child  that  she  car- 
ried on  her  shoulder  was  always  Et  Tagir,  or  the  little 
merchant,  as  Omar  was  called  among  the  Beni  Amurs. 
Yet  what  a  difference  was  there  between  the  two 
brothers!  Tall,  slender,  supple,  and  agile,  with  his 
clear  eyes  and  brilliant  complexion,  Abdallah  would 
have  filled  any  father's  heart  with  pride;  while  the 
son  of  Mansour,  Avith  his  swarthy  skin,  thick  neck, 
and  round  paunch,  was  only  an  Egyptian  astray  in 
the  desert.  What  mattered  it  to  the  Bedouin  woman  ? 
Had  she  not  nourished  them  both  with  the  same 
milk?  Who  knows  even  whether,  like  a  true  mother, 
she  had  not  a  secret  weakness  for  the  child  which  had 
the  most  need  of  her  love? 


L6 


ABDALLAH 

As  he  grew,  Abdallah  soon  showed  all  the  noble- 
ness of  his  race.  On  seeing  him  with  the  Egyptian, 
one  would  have  said  that  he  already  felt  himself  the 
master  of  the  tent,  and  was  proud  of  exercising  the 
rites  of  hospitality.  Although  but  six  months  older 
than  Omar,  he  made  himself  his  brother's  guardian 
and  protector,  and  his  greatest  pleasure  was  to  amuse, 
serve,  and  defend  him.  In  all  the  games  and  feasts, 
he  insisted  on  giving  the  little  merchant  the  best 
place;  and  whenever  a  quarrel  arose,  it  was  always 
he,  and  he  alone,  that  fought,  adroit,  strong,  and 
hardy,  like  a  son  of  the  desert. 

Omar  willingly  remained  in  the  background,  as  if 
he  already  understood  the  advantage  to  be  derived 
from  an  uncalculating  friendship.  As  indolent  as  a 
dweller  in  cities,  he  seldom  quitted  the  tent.  The 
Bedouin  ran  between  the  legs  of  the  mares,  wrestled 
with  the  colts,  and  climbed  the  camels  without  mak- 
ing them  kneel;  the  Egyptian,  his  legs  crossed  on  a 
mat,  passed  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in  sleeping, 
and  felt  naught  but  disdain  for  the  noisy  exploits  which 
made  the  joy  of  Abdallah.  When  he  mixed  with  other 
children,  it  was  only  to  play  merchant  with  them. 
The  son  of  Mansour  had  singular  skill  in  bartering  a 
date  for  a  citron,  a  citron  for  an  orange,  and  an  orange 
for  a  piece  of  coral  or  some  other  toy.  At  ten  years 
of  age  Omar  had  already  found  that  the  best  use  of 
a  rosary  was  to  aid  in  counting.  He  was  not,  how- 
ever, ungrateful ;  he  loved  his  brother  after  his  fash- 
ion. He  showered  innumerable  caresses  on  Abdallah, 

17 


ABDALLAH 

who  seldom  returned  home  without  bringing  bananas, 
pomegranates,  apricots,  or  some  other  fruit  that  had 
been  given  him  by  the  women  of  the  neighborhood, 
who  were  charmed  with  his  grace  and  sprightliness. 
By  dint  of  tenderness,  Omar  always  secured  what  he 
wished;  but  he  was  not  better  pleased  with  the  suc- 
cess of  his  cunning  than  was  his  brother  in  letting 
himself  be  despoiled  by  the  one  he  loved.  Each  of 
us  is  born  with  his  destiny  clinging  about  his  neck 
like  a  heavy  collar,  and  hurrying  him  onward;  a  fox 
nurtured  by  a  lioness  will  always  be  a  fox,  and  a 
merchant's  son  will  never  make  a  Bedouin. 

At  the  age  of  ten,  thanks  to  Halima,  Abdallah's 
education  was  finished ;  he  knew  all  that  a  Beni  Amur 
needed  to  know.  The  son  of  Yusuf  could  recite  the 
genealogy  of  his  family  and  tribe ;  he  knew  the  pedi- 
gree, name,  surname,  coat,  and  brand  of  all  the 
horses;  he  could  read  in  the  stars  the  hour  of  the 
night,  and  the  shadows  told  him  the  time  of  the  day. 
No  one  knew  better  how  to  make  the  camels  kneel ; 
no  one  chanted  to  them  in  a  more  melodious  voice 
those  sweet  songs  which  shorten  their  way  and  make 
them  quicken  their  pace,  despite  fatigue  and  heat. 
Already  even,  he  handled  the  gun  and  brandished 
the  lance  and  sabre  as  if  he  had  been  in  half  a  score 
of  caravans.  Halima  contemplated  his  youthful  cour- 
age with  tears  of  joy,  happy  to  see  that  the  child 
whom  she  had  brought  into  the  world  would  some 
day  be  the  honor  of  his  people  and  the  delight  of 
his  tribe. 

18 


ABDALLAH 

Halima  was  a  true  Mussulman ;  she  knew  that 
wisdom,  strength,  and  consolation  are  in  God  alone. 
The  children  were  scarcely  seven  years  old  when  she 
had  already  taught  them  to  recite  the  five  prayers 
and  make  the  ablutions.  In  the  morning,  as  soon  as 
a  faint  light  illumed  the  east;  at  noon,  when  the  sun 
turned;  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  shadows  began 
to  lengthen;  at  even,  when  the  sun  set  in  the  hori- 
zon; and,  lastly,  at  night,  when  darkness  covered  the 
earth,— Omar  and  Abdallah  stretched  the  carpet  of 
prayer  upon  the  ground,  and  turning  toward  Mecca, 
repeated  the  holy  words  which  comprise  all  religion, 
"There  is  no  god  but  God,  and  Mohammed  is  His 
prophet."  The  prayer  ended,  Halima  loved  to  repeat 
to  the  children  the  precepts  of  Ayesha,— precepts 
which  she  made  the  rule  of  her  life.  "Sons  of  my 
soul!"  she  would  say  to  them,  "listen  to  what  Ayesha, 
the  beloved  spouse  of  the  Prophet,  the  peerless  vir- 
gin, and  the  mother  of  the  faithful,  replied  to  a 
Mussulman  who  asked  her  counsel.  Remember  these 
holy  maxims;  they  are  the  legacy  of  the  Prophet  him- 
self, and  the  pearl  of  truth :  — 

"Acknowledge  that  there  is  but  one  God  alone; 
remain  steadfast  in  the  faith ;  instruct  yourself;  bridle 
your  tongue ;  repress  your  wrath ;  forbear  to  do  evil ; 
associate  with  the  good;  screen  the  faults  of  your 
neighbor ;  relieve  the  poor  by  your  alms ;  and  expect 
your  reward  in  eternity." 

The  two  children  were  thus  brought  up,  surrounded 
with  the  same  love,  and  a  love  so  tender  and  equal 

19 


ABDALLAH 

that  the  two  brothers  never  suspected  that  they  were 
not  of  the  same  blood.  One  day,  however,  an  old 
man  entered  the  tent,  armed  with  a  tablet  of  wood, 
painted  white,  on  which  elegant  characters  were 
traced  in  black.  The  sheik  enjoyed  great  renown  in 
the  tribe;  it  was  said  that  he  had  formerly  studied 
at  Cairo  in  El  A/ar,  that  splendid  mosque,  the  foun- 
tain of  light,  which  is  the  joy  of  the  faithful  and  the 
despair  of  infidels.  He  was  so  learned  that  he  could 
read  the  Koran,  and  copy  with  a  reed  the  ninety-nine 
names  of  God,  and  the  Fat -hah. 1  To  the  great  aston- 
ishment of  the  Bedouin,  the  old  man,  after  talking 
in  a  low  tone  to  Halima,  who  put  a  purse  in  his  hand, 
turned  his  sole  attention  to  the  son  of  Mansour, 
caressed  him  with  paternal  tenderness,  seated  him 
by  his  side,  put  the  tablet  in  his  hands,  and  after 
teaching  him  how  to  sway  the  head  and  body  to  aid 
the  memory,  made  him  chant  the  whole  alphabet 
after  him.  Omar  took  so  lively  an  interest  in  his  les- 
son that  on  the  very  first  day  he  learned  the  numerical 
value  of  all  the  letters.  The  sheik  embraced  him 
anew,  promising  him  that,  if  he  went  on  in  this  way, 
he  would  soon  be  more  learned  than  his  master,  and 
quitted  the  tent  without  even  looking  at  Abdallah. 
The  poor  boy's  heart  swelled  at  the  sight  of  this 
lesson  of  his  brother's,  by  which  he  would  have  gladly 
profited.  He  was  spared  a  second  trial.  The  next 
morning  he  was  sent  to  the  fields  to  tend  his  mother's 
sheep.  He  was  not  alone;  he  had  been  placed  in  the 

i  The  first  chapter  of  the  Koran,  and  the  usual  prayer  of  the 
Mussulmans. 

20 


ABDALLAH 

care  of  a  maternal  uncle,  a  one-eyed  and  crippled  old 
shepherd,  but  a  man  of  good  counsel.  Hafiz,  for  this 
was  the  name  of  Halima's  brother,  was  a  brave  soldier 
and  a  pious  Mussulman,  who  had  seen  much  and  suf- 
fered much.  The  companion  of  Yusuf,  Abdallah's 
father,  and  wounded  by  his  side,  he  was  the  last 
prop  of  an  almost  extinct  family,  and,  alone  and  child- 
less as  he  was,  he  loved  his  nephew  as  his  own  son. 

It  was  he  that  had  opposed  the  plan  of  making 
Abdallah  a  scholar.  "Would  you  know  more  than 
the  Prophet,  whom  may  God  protect  and  bless?" 
said  he  to  the  young  Bedouin.  "What  would  you 
read, — the  Koran?  But  is  it  on  vile  rags  or  your 
own  heart  that  its  sacred  words  should  be  engraved? 
Strange  books  —  what  is  the  use?  Is  not  everything 
contained  in  the  Koran?  Is  it  not  for  rash  spirits  who 
seek  the  truth  elsewhere  that  it  is  written,  'The  like- 
ness of  those  who  take  other  patrons  besides  God  is 
as  the  likeness  of  the  spider,  which  maketh  herself  a 
house;  but  the  weakest  of  all  houses,  surely,  is  the 
house  of  the  spider,  if  they  knew  this'  ?  Those  whose 
minds  are  swallowed  up  in  books  are  like  asses  laden 
with  foreign  wealth,  which  serves  only  to  weigh  them 
down.  Man  was  not  born  to  amass  the  thoughts  of 
others,  but  to  act  for  himself.  Go  forward,  my  son, 
with  an  upright  heart,  and  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 
At  the  age  of  strength  God  will  give  thee  wisdom  and 
knowledge  as  to  the  son  of  Jacob.  It  is  thus  that  he 
rewards  the  just,  for  himself  has  said  it." 

These  words  kindled  Abdallah's  heart.    Every  day, 

21 


ABDALLAH 

when  the  noontide  heat  confined  them  within  the 
tent,  Hafiz  recited  to  the  son  of  Yusuf  a  few  verses 
of  the  holy  book,  and  made  him  repeat  them  after 
him  in  turn.  In  this  way,  by  degrees,  he  taught  him 
the  whole  Koran,  beginning,  after  the  Fat -hah,  with 
the  short  chapters  On  Men,  The  Daybreak,  and  The 
Unity  of  God,  and  ending  with  the  long  and  beauti- 
ful teachings  contained  in  the  chapters  On  Women, 
The  Family  of  Imran,  and  The  Cow.  The  child  was 
like  the  sands  of  the  desert,  which  drink  up  the  rain- 
drops without  losing  a  single  one ;  he  never  wearied 
of  chanting  this  rhythmic  prose,  as  superior  to  poetry 
as  the  Word  of  God  is  to  that  of  men.  Day  and  night 
he  repeated  these  precepts,  in  which  eloquence  and 
wisdom  are  strung  together  like  pearls  in  a  necklace. 
Whenever  a  good  Mussulman  wished  to  give  a  feast 
to  his  comrades  or  to  pay  honors  to  the  tomb  of  a 
friend,  the  lame  shepherd  and  his  disciple  were  called 
upon  to  recite  the  whole  Koran  or  one  of  its  thirty 
sections.  Seated  on  the  ground  around  the  master  and 
pupil,  the  Beni  Amurs  greedily  drank  in  the  divine 
words.  "God  is  great!"  they  exclaimed.  "Gabriel 
himself  was  not  more  beautiful  than  this  young  man 
when  he  deposited  the  eternal  revelation  in  the  heart 
of  the  Prophet." 

Hafiz  not  only  taught  his  nephew  the  text  of  the 
Koran,  but  also  repeated  to  him  the  words  of  the 
Prophet  which  have  been  handed  down  to  us  by  his 
friends.  He  taught  him  the  four  great  duties  enjoined 
by  God  on  all  who  would  be  saved, — the  five  daily 

22 


ABDALLAH 

prayers,  the  giving  of  one  fortieth  in  alms,  the  fast 
of  Ramadan,  and  the  pilgrimage  to  Mecca;  and  held 
up  to  his  detestation  the  seven  great  sins,— those 
sins  which  beget  seven  hundred  others,  and  which 
destroy  the  soul, — idolatry,  that  crime  which  God, 
according  to  his  explicit  declaration,  never  pardons; 
murder ;  the  charge  of  adultery  falsely  brought  against 
an  honest  woman;  wrong  done  to  orphans;  usury; 
flight  in  an  expedition  against  the  infidels;  and  dis- 
obedience to  parents.  "Oh,  my  son,"  he  exclaimed, 
at  the  close  of  each  lesson,  "thou  who,  by  the  decree 
of  God,  hast  been  placed  among  the  number  of  those 
who  have  received  the  Scriptures,  daily  repeat  that 
divine  promise  which  is  our  whole  strength  and  com- 
fort here  below:  'Whoever  obeyeth  God  and  the 
apostle,  they  shall  be  with  those  unto  whom  God  has 
been  gracious,  of  the  prophets,  and  the  sincere,  and 
the  martyrs,  and  the  righteous,  and  these  are  most 
excellent  company.  This  is  bounty  from  God,  and 
from  God  nothing  is  hidden."' 

In  order  not  to  weary  Abdallah,  Hafiz  often  inter- 
spersed his  teachings  with  the  stories  of  some  of  those 
innumerable  prophets  to  whose  keeping  God  confided 
the  truth  while  awaiting  the  coming  of  Mohammed. 
Sometimes  it  was  Adam,  our  first  father,  to  whom 
God  in  his  goodness  taught  the  name  of  every  living 
thing  on  earth.  By  the  command  of  the  Lord,  these 
creatures,  born  of  fire,  adored  man,  born  of  the  dust 
of  the  earth.  A  single  one  refused,  the  ungrateful 
Eblis,  urged  by  his  pride  to  destruction.  Unhappily, 

23 


ABDALLAH 

Adam  and  Eve  suffered  themselves  to  be  tempted  by 
the  enemy,  and  ate  of  the  forbidden  fruit.  To  punish 
their  disobedience,  God  drove  them  from  Paradise. 
Adam  was  flung  upon  the  island  of  Serendib,  where 
his  footprint  may  still  be  seen,  and  Eve  fell  at  Djid- 
dah,  where  she  was  doomed  to  live  two  centuries  in 
solitude.  God,  however,  at  last  took  pity  on  the 
unhappy  couple,  and  Gabriel  again  reunited  them 
on  Mount  Arafat,  near  that  miraculous  spot  where 
Abraham  and  Ishmael  were  to  found  the  holy  Caaba. 

At  another  time  the  cripple  would  tell  how  God 
showed  Abraham  the  kingdom  of  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  that  he  might  know  true  science.  Reared 
in  the  faith  of  his  fathers,  the  son  of  Azer  worshipped 
the  stars.  When  the  night  overshadowed  him,  he 
saw  a  star  and  cried,  "This  is  my  Lord!"  but  when 
it  set  he  said,  "  I  like  not  gods  which  set."  And  when 
he  saw  the  moon  rising  he  cried,  "  This  is  my  Lord !  " 
but  when  he  saw  it  set  he  said,  "Verily,  if  my  Lord 
direct  me  not,  I  shall  become  as  one  of  the  people 
who  go  astray."  And  when  he  saw  the  sun  rising  he 
said,  "  This  is  my  Lord ;  this  is  the  greatest ! "  but 
when  he  saw  it  set  he  said,  "Oh,  my  people,  I  am 
clear  of  your  idolatrous  worship."  The  son  of  Azer  un- 
derstood that  the  stars  scattered  through  the  heavens 
revealed  a  higher  hand,  as  the  footprints  on  the  sand 
tell  of  the  traveller  that  has  gone  before. 

Like  a  true  Mussulman,  Abraham  had  no  sooner 
found  the  true  faith  than  he  broke  all  the  idols  of  his 
people  except  Baal,  on  whose  neck  he  hung  the  axe 

24 


ABDALLAH 

with  which  he  had  demolished  them.  When  the 
furious  Chaldeans  asked  who  had  treated  their  gods 
in  such  a  manner,  "It  is  Baal"  said  Abraham;  "ask 
him,  and  see  what  he  will  answer  you."  "An  idol 
can  not  speak"  cried  the  Chaldeans;  and  they  said, 
"Thou  art  an  unbeliever!"  But  who  can  enlighten 
those  who  have  eyes,  yet  see  not !  They  are  blinded 
by  the  very  light  of  truth.  Furious  at  having  been 
discomfited  by  a  child,  Nimrod,  the  King  of  the 
Chaldeans,  ordered  Abraham  to  be  thrown  into  a 
fiery  furnace.  Vain  cruelty!  The  Lord  Eternal  holds 
the  power  of  life  and  death.  By  the  command  of 
God,  the  fire  consumed  none  but  the  unbelievers. 
For  Abraham,  the  funeral  pile  turned  to  a  verdant 
meadow,  and  the  flames  that  surrounded  him  to  a 
cool  and  refreshing  breeze.  It  is  thus  that  the  Lord 
lifts  up  the  just  and  humbles  the  proud. 

Who  could  exhaust  the  sacred  stories  which  have 
been  handed  down  to  us  by  the  Koran  and  tradition? 
They  are  more  numerous  and  more  beautiful  than  the 
stars  in  a  summer  sky.  Hafiz  told  them  as  he  had  re- 
ceived them  from  his  fathers,  and  Abdallah  repeated 
them  with  the  like  ardor  and  faith.  Sometimes  it  was 
of  David,  the  blacksmith  king,  to  whom  God  taught 
the  art  of  fabricating  coats  of  mail  to  protect  the 
faithful ;  sometimes  it  was  of  Solomon,  under  whose 
dominion  the  Lord  placed  the  winds,  the  birds,  and 
the  genii.  Or  it  was  of  Balkis,  the  Queen  of  Sheba, 
when,  seated  on  her  throne  of  gold  and  silver  set 
with  precious  stones,  she  received  Solomon's  letter, 

25 


ABDALLAH 

brought  her  by  a  bird,  kissed  the  seal,  at  which  Satan 
trembled,  and  became  a  Mussulman  at  the  voice  of 
the  wisest  of  kings.  Or  it  was  of  the  sleeping  com- 
panions in  the  cavern,  who  awaited  the  reign  of  truth 
three  hundred  and  nine  years,  with  their  faithful  dog, 
El  Rakim,  crouched  at  their  feet.  Or  it  was  of  the 
sacred  camel  brought  forth  from  the  rock  at  the 
prayer  of  Saleh,  to  confound  the  unbelief  of  the  Tal- 
mudites.  When  did  God  tire  of  working  miracles  to 
succor  the  faithful? 

Of  all  these  marvellous  stories,  to  which  the  Bed- 
ouins never  tired  of  listening,  the  one  which  Halima 
oftenest  asked  of  her  son  was  that  of  Job,  that  faith- 
ful servant  who  turned  to  God  in  the  midst  of  his 
anguish.  In  vain  his  wife,  weary  of  seeing  him  suffer, 
consented  to  worship  Eblis  to  regain  their  lost  happi- 
ness. Job  refused  assistance  from  this  accursed  hand. 
If  he  raised  his  body,  eaten  by  worms,  on  the  dung- 
hill, it  was  to  lift  to  the  Lord  that  touching  prayer 
which  won  pardon  from  God  for  the  wretched  sufferer, 
"Verily  evil  hath  afflicted  me,  but  thou  art  the  most 
merciful  of  those  who  show  mercy" — beautiful  words 
which  one  of  the  faithful  alone  could  utter. 

Hafiz  was  one  of  the  faithful,  but  he  was  also  a 
Bedouin,  proud  of  his  race;  a  soldier  who  loved  the 
fray  of  battle.  "Think,  my  son"  he  would  often  say 
to  Abdallah,  "  think  of  the  privileges  which  the 
Prophet  has  won  for  us,  and  which  we  must  defend 
to  the  death.  To  render  our  life  easy  God  has  given 
us  gardens,  living  springs  of  water,  innumerable  cat- 


ABDALLAH 

tie,  the  dourah,1  and  the  palm-tree;  to  render  it 
glorious,  he  has  given  us  a  noble  pedigree,  a  country 
that  has  never  been  conquered,  and  a  liberty  that  no 
master  has  ever  polluted.  We  are  the  kings  of  the 
desert.  Our  turbans  are  our  diadems,  our  tents  are 
our  palaces,  our  sabres  are  our  ramparts,  and  God's 
own  word  is  our  law.  Your  father  fell  like  a  martyr 
on  the  field  of  battle.  Among  your  ancestors,  for  one 
who  by  chance  has  breathed  his  last  under  a  tent, 
three  have  fallen  in  the  desert,  their  lance  in  their 
hand.  They  point  you  the  way;  they  understood  the 
divine  saying,  'Let  them  therefore  fight  for  the  re- 
ligion of  God  who  part  with  the  present  life  for  that 
which  is  to  come;  for  whosoever  fighteth  for  the 
religion  of  God,  whether  he  be  slain  or  be  victorious, 
we  will  surely  give  him  a  great  reward.  The  pro- 
vision of  this  life  is  but  small ;  but  the  future  shall 
be  better  for  him  who  feareth  God.'" 

Have  you  seen  the  war-horse  pawing  the  earth 
and  snuffing  the  wind  at  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  ? 
Such  was  Abdallah  when  Hafiz  talked  to  him  of  bat- 
tle ;  his  heart  throbbed,  his  eyes  grew  dim,  and  his 
face  flushed.  "O  God!  "  he  cried,  "grant  that  it  may 
soon  be  my  time ;  permit  me  to  crush  the  infidel,  and 
make  me  worthy  of  the  people  from  which  I  have 
sprung ! " 

The  child  of  the  desert  was  beautiful  indeed  in  his 
long  blue  robe,  confined  at  the  waist  by  a  leather 

lfThe  sorgho,  the  principal  cereal  of  the  East  Indians  and  the 
Arabs,  which  they  use  like  maize  and  rice. 

27 


ABD ALLAH 

thong  passed  half  a  score  of  times  round  his  body. 
His  thick  brown  hair  shaded  his  face  and  fell  in  curls 
upon  his  neck  from  under  his  hood.  His  eyes  spar- 
kled with  a  softer  light  than  the  planets  that  twinkle 
in  the  heavens,  as,  holding  in  his  hand  a  shining  lance 
wound  round  with  silver  thread,  he  walked  slowly 
with  the  grace  of  a  child  and  the  dignity  of  a  man, 
speaking  only  when  necessary  and  never  laughing. 
When  he  returned  from  the  pasture,  carrying  the 
young  lambs  in  the  skirt  of  his  robe  while  the  sheep 
followed  him  bleating  and  rubbing  their  heads  against 
his  hand,  the  shepherds,  his  companions,  stopped  to 
see  him  pass,  and  he  seemed  like  Joseph  adored  by 
the  eleven  stars.  And  at  evening,  when  he  raised  the 
stone  from  the  common  well,  with  a  strength  above 
his  age,  and  watered  the  flocks,  the  women  forgot  to 
fill  their  pitchers,  and  cried,  "  He  is  as  handsome  as 
his  father!"  to  which  the  men  responded,  "And  he 
will  also  be  as  brave." 


28 


IV 


THE    RECOGNITION 

|IME  had  rolled  onward  since  the  day 
that  Halima  had  carried  the  son  of 
the  wealthy  Mansour  to  her  tent. 
Omar  was  fifteen  years  old,  and  was 
still  unacquainted  with  the  secret  of 
his  birth.  The  rude  jests  of  his  com- 
panions Had  more  than  once  made  him  feel  that  he 
was  not  a  Beni  Amur,  and  that  the  blood  in  his  veins 
was  not  so  pure  as  that  of  Abdallah ;  but  although  he 
was  called  Omar,  the  little  merchant,  no  one  in  the 
tribe  knew  who  was  the  Egyptian's  father,  and  he 
himself  believed  that  he  was  an  orphan,  adopted  by 
Halima's  goodness,  and  destined  to  live  in  the  desert. 
One  evening,  as  the  brothers  were  returning  from 
the  fields,  they  were  surprised  to  see  several  richly 
caparisoned  camels  at  the  door  of  the  tent,  together 
with  a  mule  covered  with  a  rich  carpet  and  held  by  a 
negro  dressed  in  white. 

"Whose  mule  is  this"  said  Omar,   "and  what  has 
it  brought?" 

"It  is  your  fathers,"  answered  the  slave,  who  easily 


ABDALLAH 

recognized  Mansour's  son  by  his  features;  "we  have 
come  for  you  from  Djiddah." 

"  Who  is  my  father?  "  asked  the  Egyptian,  greatly 
moved. 

"Your  father"  returned  the  negro,  "is  the  rich 
Mansour,  the  syndic  of  the  Djiddah  merchants,  and 
the  sultan  of  the  sons  of  Egypt.  There  is  not  a  bale 
of  goods,  great  or  small,  that  comes  into  the  harbor 
or  goes  out  of  the  three  city  gates  that  is  not  first 
offered  to  him  for  his  disposal.  At  Yambo,  Suez, 
Khartum,  and  Cairo,  your  father's  warehouses  are 
kept  by  his  numerous  slaves;  and  so  great  is  his  for- 
tune that  his  servants  never  consult  him  about  any 
business  involving  less  than  a  hundred  thousand 
piastres." 

"Oh,  my  father,  where  are  you?"  cried  the  young 
man,  rushing  into  the  tent.  "  Praised  be  God,  who 
has  given  me  a  father  so  worthy  of  my  love !  "  And 
he  threw  himself  into  Mansour's  arms  with  an  ardor 
that  delighted  the  old  merchant  and  called  forth  a 
sigh  from  Halima. 

Early  the  next  morning  they  set  out  for  Djiddah, 
to  the  great  sorrow  of  the  Bedouin  woman,  who  could 
not  bear  to  separate  from  the  child  whom  she  alone 
had  cherished  for  so  many  years.  "Adieu,  my  son, 
and  dearer  than  my  son"  said  she,  covering  him  with 
tears  and  caresses.  Omar  was  more  courageous;  he 
quitted  his  mother  with  the  joy  of  a  captive  who  at 
once  regains  freedom  and  fortune.  Abdallah  accom- 
panied his  brother  to  the  city  by  the  wish  of  Man- 

30 


ABDALLAH 

sour.  To  show  the  Bedouin  how  far  the  considera- 
tion attached  to  wealth  in  a  city  like  Djiddah  raised 
a  merchant  above  the  shepherds  of  the  desert,  and 
to  make  him  feel  that  his  mother  and  he  should 
esteem  themselves  too  happy  in  having  loved  and 
served  Omar  for  fifteen  years,  was  Mansour's  fashion 
of  paying  his  debt  of  gratitude.  The  rich  leave  their 
folly  and  vanity  only  beyond  the  tomb. 

No  sooner  had  they  reached  Djiddah  than  Omar 
broke  forth  into  transports  of  joy.  He  was  an  exile 
returning  to  his  native  land.  Everything  charmed 
him, — the  narrow  streets,  with  their  great  stone 
houses;  the  port,  where  the  ships  were  unloading 
casks  of  sugar,  sacks  of  coffee,  and  bales  of  cotton ; 
and  the  motley  crowd  that  was  thronging  toward  the 
bazaar.  Turks,  Syrians,  Greeks,  Arabs,  Persians, 
East  Indians,  blacks  of  every  shade;  Jews,  pilgrims, 
dervishes,  beggars;  Nile  merchants  mounted  on  beau- 
tifully caparisoned  mules;  donkey-drivers  leading 
women  enveloped  in  black  mantles,  and  looking  like 
phantoms  of  which  naught  was  visible  but  the  eyes; 
camel-drivers  shouting  to  the  crowd  to  open  a  pas- 
sage ;  Arnauts  with  an  audacious  and  threatening  air, 
proud  of  their  Damascus  weapons  and  flowing  fusta- 
nella;  peaceful  smokers  seated  with  crossed  legs  at 
the  doors  of  the  coffee-houses;  slaves  led  to  market, 
— all  this  was  to  Omar  a  paradise  more  enchanting 
than  any  of  which  he  had  ever  dreamed.  In  such  an 
abode,  what  could  not  be  bought  and  what  could  not 
be  sold?  Had  he  not  learned  the  price  of  all  manner 

31 


ABDALLAH 

of  things  from  his  father  on  the  road?  Did  he  not 
already  know  how  to  rate  the  integrity  of  a  cadi,  the 
scruples  of  a  sheik ,  and  even  the  conscience  of  a 
pacha? 

At  the  end  of  a  narrow  and  gloomy  alley  stood  the 
house  of  Mansour.  There  was  nothing  about  the 
building  calculated  to  attract  attention;  the  ground 
floor  was  bare  and  uninviting,  and  furnished  only  with 
a  few  rush  mats  along  the  whitewashed  walls;  but 
on  ascending  to  the  next  story,  which  was  carefully 
closed,  and  furnished  with  blinds  that  defied  both 
the  sun  and  curiosity,  magnificent  rooms  met  the  eye, 
covered  with  Turkey  carpets,  and  surrounded  with 
velvet  divans  embroidered  with  silver.  The  travel- 
lers were  scarcely  seated  when  a  chased  silver  salver 
was  brought  them,  loaded  with  jellied  fruits.  While 
one  slave  poured  rose-water  on  Abdallah's  bronzed 
hands,  and  presented  him  a  napkin  fringed  with  gold, 
another  burned  incense  before  old  Mansour,  who 
stroked  his  beard  and  clothes  to  impregnate  them 
with  the  fragrant  smoke;  coffee  was  then  served  in 
tiny  porcelain  cups,  set  in  stands  of  gold  filigree- 
work,  after  which  exquisite  sherbets,  prepared  from 
the  extract  of  violets  and  the  juice  of  pomegranates 
expressed  through  the  rind,  were  offered  them. 
Lastly,  three  little  negroes,  dressed  in  scarlet  and 
covered  with  bracelets  and  necklaces,  lighted  long 
jasmine  pipes  and  presented  one  to  each  guest,  then 
all  three  seated  themselves  on  the  ground,  attentive 
and  silent. 

32 


ABDALLAH 

They  smoked  long  without  speaking.  Man  sour  was 
enjoying  the  delight  which  he  saw  in  his  son  and  the 
admiration  which  he  supposed  in  the  Arab.  But  the 
Bedouin's  face  did  not  change;  amid  all  this  luxury 
he  was  as  grave  and  tranquil  as  if  in  the  midst  of  his 
flocks.  What  are  the  luxuries  of  this  world  to  him 
who  expects  the  lasting  rewards  which  God  has  in 
store  for  the  faithful? 

"Well,  my  son"  said  old  Mansour  at  last,  turning 
toward  Abdallah,  "are  you  content  with  your  jour- 


ney 


"Father,"  replied  the  young  man,  "I  thank  you  for 
your  hospitality.  Your  heart  is  even  richer  than  your 
treasure." 

"Well,  well"  returned  the  merchant;  "but  what  I 
want  to  know  is  what  you  think  of  Djiddah?  Would 
you  like  to  stay  with  us?" 

"No.  The  city  is  tainted;  the  air  is  pestilential, 
the  water  impure.  Then  those  idle  dervishes,  dis- 
playing to  all  eyes  their  impudence  and  their  covet- 
ousness,  and  those  slaves  who  stand  there  to  deprive 
us  of  the  use  of  our  hands,  and  who  spy  out  our 
passions  to  serve  them !  Huzza  for  the  desert!  Our 
terrible  winds  are  sweeter  to  me  than  the  hot,  heavy 
air  of  this  prison.  Among  the  tents  there  are  none 
but  men.  Each  one  rights  himself,  lance  in  hand. 
The  dog  that  begs  through  cowardice  is  thrust  out ; 
the  haughty,  who  know  not  how  to  respect  those 
better  than  themselves,  are  humbled." 

"Your  words  are  golden,  my  son,"  said  Mansour, 

33 


ABDALLAH 

running  his  fingers  through  his  long  beard ;  "a  Wahha- 
bite  could  not  be  more  austere.  I  thought  like  you 
when  I  was  a  child  and  recited  my  nurse's  lessons. 
Stay  with  us  for  a  time;  become  a  merchant;  when 
you  see  how  fortune  invests  the  vilest  of  men  with 
authority,  youth,  and  virtue,  how  the  powerful  of  the 
day,  the  women,  and  even  the  saints  fall  down  and 
worship  the  metal  which  you  despise,  you  will  change 
your  mind,  and  prefer  even  the  unsavory  odor  of 
cities.  It  is  beautiful  to  live  like  the  lark,  free  in 
space;  but  sooner  or  later  all  are  snared  like  it.  The 
douro  is  the  king  of  the  world,  and  the  day  comes 
when  the  bravest,  like  the  wisest,  is  the  servant  of 
the  richest." 

"I  know"  returned  Abdallah,  proudly,  "that  noth- 
ing satisfies  the  sons  of  Adam.  The  dust  of  the  grave 
alone  has  power  to  fill  their  bellies ;  but  in  the  desei't, 
at  least,  an  ounce  of  honor  is  worth  more  than  a  hun- 
dredweight of  gold.  With  God's  aid,  I  will  live  like 
my  ancestors.  He  who  desires  naught  will  always  be 
free.  Farewell,  therefore,  Mansour;  farewell,  my 
brother.  To-day  our  roads  part;  may  that  which  you 
take  lead  you  to  the  end  which  all  the  faithful  should 
desire ! " 

"Farewell,  my  good  Abdallah"  answered  Omar. 
"Each  of  us  follows  his  destiny.  What  is  written  is 
written.  You  were  born  to  dwell  among  the  tents, 
and  I  to  be  a  merchant.  Farewell;  I  shall  never  for- 
get the  friendship  of  my  childhood;  if  ever  I  am  in 
need  of  a  stout  arm,  be  sure  that  I  shall  have  re- 
course to  you." 

34 


ABDALLAH 

"Thanks,  my  brother"  cried  the  Bedouin;  and 
taking  Omar  in  his  arms,  he  pressed  him  tenderly  to 
his  heart,  without  restraining  or  hiding  his  tears. 

Omar  tranquilly  received  these  proofs  of  friend- 
ship, and  when  Abdallah,  with  drooping  head  and 
dejected  mien,  had  quitted  the  house  after  more  than 
once  looking  back,  "Say"  said  he  to  his  father,  "what 
can  you  have  been  thinking  of,  to  leave  me  so  long 
with  that  Bedouin?  Suppose  you  had  died,  and  I  had 
appeared  to  claim  your  inheritance,  the  old  men  of 
the  city  would  have  said,  'We  have  known  Mansour 
all  our  lives,  and  have  never  heard  of  his  having 
either  son  or  daughter,'  and  then  who  would  have 
been  your  heir  if  not  the  pacha?  Carry  me  quickly 
to  the  bazaar,  introduce  me  to  all  your  friends,  the 
merchants,  and,  above  all,  make  me  your  partner, 
and  give  me  a  warehouse  of  my  own.  I  feel  an  un- 
controllable desire  to  handle  gold.  I  have  already 
learned  to  calculate  among  the  tents,  and  know  how 
to  treat  men  in  order  to  gain  much  and  risk  little. 
You  shall  not  blush  for  your  son." 

"My  child"  cried  Mansour,  raising  his  trembling 
hands  to  heaven,  "wisdom  speaks  through  your 
mouth;  but  the  day  is  too  far  advanced  to  go  out, 
and,  besides,  your  dress  is  not  suitable.  To-morrow 
we  will  go  to  the  bazaar;  to-morrow  all  Djiddah  shall 
know  my  glory  and  happiness." 

All  night  Omar  dreamed  of  gold  and  silver;  all 
night  Mansour  tossed  on  his  bed,  unable  to  close  his 
eyes ;  he  saw  himself  born  anew  in  a  son  shrewder, 

35 


ABDALLAH 

more  cunning,  more  covetous,  and  more  avaricious 
than  himself.  "Ah!"  he  exclaimed,  in  his  joy,  "I 
am  the  happiest  of  fathers.  The  dervish  did  not 
deceive  me ;  if  my  son  escape  the  perils  that  threaten 
him,  who  knows  where  the  wealth  of  my  house  will 
stop ! " 

Madman,  thou  forgettest  that  if  gold  is  a  blessing 
to  him  that  gives  it,  it  is  a  poison  to  him  that  hoards 
it.  He  who  harbors  avarice  in  his  heart,  harbors 
there  the  enemy  of  mankind ;  and  woe  to  him  who 
chooses  Satan  for  a  companion! 


THE    NEW    SOLOMON 


(HE  next  morning  at  daybreak,  Man- 
sour  led  his  son  to  the  bath,  and 
dressed  him  in  a  style  befitting  his 
new  condition.  A  silken  robe,  striped 
with  bright  colors,  and  confined  round 
the  waist  by  a  Cashmere  girdle,  a 
flowing  caftan  of  the  finest  and  softest  cloth,  and  a 
white  embroidered  cap,  round  which  was  twisted  a 
muslin  turban, — such  was  the  elegant  costume  brought 
by  the  most  fashionable  tailor  of  Djiddah.  In  tin's 
dress  the  features  of  the  Egyptian  seemed  harsher 
and  his  complexion  more  swarthy  than  ever.  The 
tailor,  however,  thought  otherwise;  he  did  nothing 
but  praise  the  beauty  and  grace  of  Omar,  and  pity 
the  ladies  of  the  city  who  should  look  with  indiffer- 
ence on  his  countenance,  more  beautiful  than  the 
moon  at  its  full.  When  nothing  more  remained  of  the 
Bedouin  of  the  day  before,  breakfast  was  served  and 
sherbet  brought  in;  then,  after  sundry  counsels  from 
old  Mansour,  Omar,  mounted  on  a  mule,  and  modestly 
falling  hehind  his  father,  took  the  way  with  him  to 
the  bazaar. 

37 


ABDALLAH 

The  Egyptian  led  his  son  to  a  shop  which  was 
narrow,  like  all  in  the  market,  but  crowded  with 
precious  articles.  Shawls  from  India,  satins  and  bro- 
cades from  China,  carpets  from  Bassora,  yataghans  in 
their  chased  silver  scabbards,  pipes  mounted  with 
amber  and  adorned  with  rubies,  rosaries  of  black 
coral,  necklaces  of  sequins  and  pearls, — all  that  could 
seduce  women,  all  that  could  ruin  men,  was  found  in 
this  warehouse  of  perdition.  A  stone  bench  ran  before 
the  shop.  Mansour  seated  himself  on  the  cushions 
and  lighted  his  pipe ;  Omar  took  his  beads  and  began 
to  recite  his  prayers,  without  looking  at  the  crowd. 

As  soon  as  the  merchants  perceived  the  syndic, 
they  rose  in  a  body,  and  went  to  repeat  the  Fat -hah, 
and  to  wish  him  good-morning.  Every  one  looked 
with  surprise  at  the  new-comer,  and  asked  his  neigh- 
bor in  a  whisper  who  the  stranger  could  be, — whether 
a  relative  of  the  Egyptian,  or  a  young  slave  richly 
dressed  in  order  to  draw  customers.  Mansour  called 
to  the  sheik,  and  pointing  to  Omar,  "This  is  my  son" 
said  he, — "my  partner  and  successor." 

"Your  son!"  exclaimed  the  sheik.  "Who  ever 
heard  that  the  rich  Mansour  had  an  heir?" 

"I  wished  to  deceive  the  evil  eye,"  replied  the  old 
man;  "this  is  why  I  have  had  my  son  brought  up  at 
a  distance  and  in  secret.  I  did  not  intend  to  present 
him  to  you  till  his  beard  was  grown;  but  I  was  get- 
ting old,  I  became  impatient;  and  to-day,  with  your 
permission,  I  shall  place  him  in  the  bazaar  to  learn 
of  you  the  art  of  buying  and  selling." 

38 


ABDALLAH 

"Mansour  is  always  wise"  replied  the  merchants, 
as  they  vied  with  each  other  in  congratulating  the 
happy  father  of  such  a  son.  "May  the  Lord"  they 
exclaimed,  "preserve  both  root  and  branch!  " 

In  the  midst  of  these  wishes,  which  tickled  the 
Egyptian's  pride,  the  sheik  took  up  the  conversation. 

"Among  us,"  said  he  to  Mansour,  "when  a  son  or 
daughter  is  born,  even  the  poor  man  invites  his  friends 
to  rejoice  with  him;  have  you  forgotten  us?" 

"Honor  me  with  a  visit  this  evening"  replied  the 
old  man;  "you  shall  be  welcome." 

An  hour  after,  a  messenger,  carrying  a  huge  bou- 
quet, went  through  the  market  offering  a  flower  to 
each  merchant,  with  the  words,  " Recite  the  Fat-hah 
for  the  Prophet."  The  prayer  ended,  "Mansour  en- 
treats you,"  added  the  messenger,  "to  take  coffee  with 
him  this  evening  at  his  house." 

"Mansour  is  the  prince  of  the  generous"  returned 
the  invited  guests;  "with  the  blessing  of  God,  we 
will  pay  our  respects  this  evening  to  the  syndic." 

At  the  appointed  time,  the  Egyptian  and  his  son 
received  the  merchants  in  the  little  garden,  where 
a  splendid  feast  awaited  the  guests.  Lambs  stuffed 
with  almonds  and  pistachio  nuts,  rice  with  saffron, 
cream  sauces  flavored  with  pepper,  rose  jellies,  pastry 
of  all  kinds, — nothing  was  spared  to  honor  guests  of 
such  consequence.  For  the  first  time  Mansour  de- 
sired that  the  poor  should  partake  of  his  joy,  and 
ordered  the  remains  of  the  feast,  with  some  small 
silver  coin,  to  be  distributed  among  them  before  the 

39 


ABD ALLAH 

door,  which  was  enough  to  fill  the  street  with  huzzahs 
and  blessings,  and  to  cause  the  name  of  the  generous 
Omar  and  the  rich  Mansour  to  resound  from  one  end 
of  Djiddah  to  the  other. 

Coffee  served  and  pipes  lighted,  the  sheik  took 
Omar  by  the  hand.  "Behold  our  friends  son"  said  he 
to  the  merchants,  "who  desires  to  enter  our  honora- 
ble company.  I  beseech  each  one  to  recite  the  Fat -hah 
for  the  Prophet." 

While  the  prayer  was  being  three  times  repeated, 
the  sheik  wound  a  shawl  around  Omar's  waist,  tying 
a  knot  after  each  Fat-hah.  The  ceremony  finished, 
the  young  man  kissed  the  hand  of  the  sheik  and  the 
other  spectators,  beginning  with  the  eldest.  His  eyes 
sparkled  with  joy.  He  was  a  Djiddah  merchant;  he 
was  rich ;  the  world  was  opening  before  him. 

The  rest  of  the  evening  was  passed  in  conversa- 
tion, all  bearing  upon  trade.  Omar  did  not  open  his 
lips;  he  stood  near  the  elders  of  the  party,  who  did 
not  weary  of  talking  to  a  young  man  who  listened 
with  such  attention  and  respect.  They  told  him  how 
a  good  salesman  should  always  ask  four  times  the 
value  of  the  article  haggled  for,  and  should  never 
lose  his  coolness,  which  is  the  secret  of  the  trade. 
Trading  is  like  trout-fishing;  it  is  necessary  to  draw 
on  the  customer  and  give  him  line  till,  wearied  and 
dazzled,  he  at  length  knows  no  longer  how  to  defend 
himself.  To  toy  with  a  rosary,  offer  coffee  or  a  pipe, 
talk  of  indifferent  things,  preserve  an  unmoved  coun- 
tenance, and  yet  kindle  desire  in  the  soul  of  the 

40 


ABDALLAH 

purchaser,  this  is  a  difficult  act,  and  it  is  not  to  be 
learned  in  a  day. 

"But,"  they  added,  caressing  Omar,  "you  are  in  a 
good  school,  my  son ;  neither  Jew  nor  even  Armenian 
can  overreach  the  wise  Mansour." 

"Is  commerce  nothing  more  than  this?"  said  the 
young  man  in  his  heart;  "in  that  case  I  have  no  need 
of  these  people.  To  think  only  of  oneself,  and  to 
make  use  of  the  passions  or  weaknesses  of  others  to 
strip  fools  of  the  wealth  they  dote  on,  —  I  have  known 
this  from  my  birth ;  I  did  nothing  else  in  the  desert ; 
my  masters  will  be  shrewd  indeed  if,  before  six  months 
are  past,  I  do  not  give  them  a  lesson." 

A  few  days  after,  Mansour  repaired  to  the  cadi  on 
account  of  a  suit,  the  issue  of  which  troubled  him  but 
little.  A  private  conversation  with  the  judge  had 
given  him  hopes  of  the  justice  of  his  cause.  The  old 
man  asked  his  son  to  accompany  him,  in  order  to  ac- 
custom him  early  to  deal  with  the  law.  The  cadi 
was  seated  in  the  courtyard  of  the  mosque.  He  was 
a  fat,  good-looking  man,  who  never  thought,  and 
talked  little,  which,  added  to  his  large  turban  and 
his  air  of  perpetual  astonishment,  gave  him  a  great 
reputation  for  justice  and  gravity.  The  spectators 
were  numerous ;  the  principal  merchants  wrere  seated 
on  the  ground  on  carpets,  forming  a  semi-circle  around 
the  magistrate.  Mansour  took  his  seat  a  little  way 
from  the  sheik,  and  Omar  placed  himself  between 
the  two,  his  curiosity  strongly  excited  to  see  how  the 
law  was  obeyed,  and  how  it  was  trifled  with  in  case 

of  need. 

41 


ABDALLAH 

The  first  case  called  was  that  of  a  young  Banian, 
as  yellow  as  an  orange,  with  loose-flowing  robes  and 
an  effeminate  air,  who  had  lately  landed  from  India, 
and  who  complained  of  having  been  cheated  by  one 
of  Mansour's  rivals. 

"Having  found  a  casket  full  of  diamonds  among 
the  effects  bequeathed  to  me  by  my  father  at  Delhi" 
said  the  young  man,  "I  set  out  for  Egypt  in  order  to 
live  there  in  opulence  on  the  proceeds  of  their  sale. 
I  was  obliged  by  bad  weather  to  put  in  at  Djiddah, 
where  I  was  retained  by  the  pleasures  of  the  city, 
and  soon  found  myself  in  want  of  money.  I  was  as- 
sured that,  if  I  wished  to  dispose  of  my  diamonds,  I 
should  find  a  good  market  here.  I  went  to  the  ba- 
zaar, and  inquired  for  a  dealer  in  precious  stones. 
The  richest,  I  was  told,  was  Mansour;  the  most  hon- 
est was  All  the  jeweller.  I  applied  to  the  latter.  As 
soon  as  he  learned  the  object  of  my  visit,  he  wel- 
comed me  like  a  son,  and,  refusing  to  talk  of  business 
at  the  bazaar,  carried  me  home  with  him.  For  sev- 
eral days  he  treated  me  in  the  most  generous  man- 
ner, gained  my  confidence  by  every  kind  of  attention, 
and  advanced  me  all  the  money  I  needed.  One  day, 
after  dinner,  when  I  was  not  quite  sober,  he  asked 
me  for  the  casket,  examined  the  diamonds  one  by 
one,  and  said,  with  feigned  pity,  'My  child,  these 
stones  are  of  little  value  in  Arabia  and  Egypt.  The 
rocks  of  our  desert  furnish  them  by  thousands;  my 
coffers  are  full  of  them.'  To  prove  the  truth  of  what 
he  said,  he  opened  the  box,  and  taking  therefrom  a 

42 


ABDALLAH 

diamond  thrice  as  large  as  any  of  mine,  gave  it  to  the 
slave  that  was  with  me. 

"'What  will  become  of  me?'  I  cried.  'I  have  no 
other  fortune;  I  thought  myself  rich,  and  here  I 
am  poor,  a  stranger,  and  far  from  my  family  and 
country.' 

"'My  child,'  replied  the  treacherous  jeweller,  'I 
conceived  a  friendship  for  you  at  first  sight.  A  Mus- 
sulman never  forsakes  his  friends  in  trouble.  Leave 
this  casket  with  me,  and,  to  oblige  you,  I  will  give 
you  a  price  for  it  such  as  no  one  else  would  offer. 
Choose  whatever  you  wish  in  Djiddah, — gold,  silver, 
or  coral, — and  in  two  hours  I  promise  to  give  you  an 
equal  weight  of  what  you  have  chosen  in  exchange 
for  your  Indian  stones.' 

"On  returning  home,  night  brought  reflection.  I 
made  inquiries,  and  soon  learned  that  Ali  had  been 
fooling  me.  What  he  had  given  to  the  slave  was 
nothing  but  a  bit  of  crystal.  Diamonds  are  scarcer 
at  Djiddah  than  in  India,  and  are  worth  ten  times 
their  weight  in  gold.  I  demanded  my  casket.  Ah' 
refused  to  restore  it.  Venerable  magistrate,  my  sole 
hope  is  in  your  justice.  I  entreat  you  to  espouse  the 
cause  of  a  stranger;  and  may  the  wretch  who  has 
ruined  me  drink  boiling  water  for  all  eternity !  " 

It  was  Ali's  turn  to  speak.  "Illustrious  servant  of 
God,"  said  he  to  the  cadi,  "this  young  man's  story  is 
true  in  but  one  particular,  namely,  that  we  have 
made  a  bargain,  and  that  I  am  ready  to  keep  it.  All 
the  rest  is  of  his  own  invention.  What  matters  it 

43 


ABDALLAH 

what  I  gave  the  slave?  Could  a  sensible  man  have 
seen  in  it  anything  else  than  a  jest?  Did  I  force  the 
stranger  to  leave  his  casket  in  my  hands?  Was  it 
my  fault  if  want  of  money  made  him  accept  my 
conditions?  Why  does  he  accuse  me  of  treachery? 
Have  I  broken  my  word,  and  has  he  kept  his?" 

"Young  man"  said  the  cadi  to  the  Banian,  "have 
you  witnesses  to  prove  that  Ali  deceived  you  as  to 
the  value  of  your  merchandise?  If  not,  I  shall  put 
the  accused  on  his  oath,  as  the  law  decrees." 

A  Koran  was  brought.  Ali  placed  his  right  hand 
on  the  sacred  book,  and  repeated  three  times,  "In 
the  name  of  God  the  Omnipotent,  and  by  the  word 
of  God  that  is  contained  in  this  book,  I  swear  that 
I  have  not  deceived  this  stranger.  I  swear  it  here 
to-day"  he  added,  turning  toward  the  assembly,  "as 
I  shall  swear  it  on  the  judgment-day  before  God  as 
cadi,  with  the  angels  for  witnesses." 

"Wretch,"  said  the  Banian,  "thou  art  among  those 
whose  feet  go  down  to  destruction.  Thou  hast  thrown 
away  thy  soul." 

"That  may  be,"  whispered  the  sheik  to  Omar, 
"but  he  has  gained  a  huge  fortune.  This  Ali  is  a 
shrewd  knave." 

"He  is  no  ordinary  man,"  added  Mansour.  "This 
may  be  called  a  game  well  played." 

Omar  smiled,  and  while  Ali  was  enjoying  the  suc- 
cess of  his  ruse,  he  approached  the  stranger,  who 
burst  into  tears. 

"Do  you  wish  me  to  help  you  to  gain  the  suit?" 

asked  he. 

44 


ABDALLAH 

"Yes"  cried  the  East  Indian;  "confound  this 
wretch,  and  you  may  ask  of  me  what  you  will.  But 
you  are  only  a  child;  you  can  do  nothing." 

"I  only  ask  you  to  have  confidence  in  me  for  a 
few  moments,"  returned  the  Egyptian.  "Accept 
Ali's  bargain;  let  me  choose  in  your  stead,  and  fear 
nothing." 

"What  can  I  fear  after  having  lost  all?"  murmured 
the  stranger,  letting  his  head  fall  again  on  his  bosom 
like  a  man  bereft  of  all  hope.  Nevertheless,  he  turned 
to  the  cadi,  and,  bowing  respectfully,  "Oh,  my  lord 
and  master,"  said  he,  "thy  slave  implores  a  last  fa- 
vor of  thy  mercy;  let  the  bargain  be  consummated, 
since  the  law  decrees  it,  but  permit  this  young 
man  to  choose  in  my  stead  what  I  shall  receive  in 
payment." 

A  profound  silence  ensued.  Omar  rose,  and  bow- 
ing to  the  cadi,  "Ali"  said  he  to  the  jeweller,  "you 
have  doubtless  brought  the  casket,  and  can  tell  us 
the  weight  thereof?  " 

"Here  it  is"  said  the  merchant;  "it  weighs  twenty 
pounds.  Choose  what  you  will,  I  repeat,  if  the  thing 
asked  for  is  to  be  found  in  Djiddah,  you  shall  have 
it  within  two  hours,  otherwise  the  bargain  is  null 
and  void.  All  know  that  my  word  is  sacred,  and 
that  I  never  break  it." 

"What  we  desire"  said  Omar,  raising  his  voice, 
"is  ants'  wings,  half  male  and  half  female.  You  have 
two  hours  in  which  to  furnish  the  twenty  pounds  you 
have  promised  us." 

45 


ABDALLAH 

"This  is  absurd"  cried  the  jeweller;  "it  is  impos- 
sible. I  should  need  half  a  score  of  persons  and  six 
months'  labor  to  satisfy  this  foolish  demand.  It  is 
trifling  with  justice  to  introduce  these  childish  ca- 
prices into  this  place." 

"Are  there  any  winged  ants  in  Djiddah?"  asked 
the  cadi. 

"Of  course"  answered  the  merchants,  laughing; 
"they  are  one  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt.  Our  houses 
are  full  of  them,  and  it  would  be  doing  us  a  great 
service  to  rid  us  of  them." 

"Then  Ali  must  keep  his  promise  or  give  back  the 
casket"  said  the  cadi.  "This  young  man  was  mad  to 
sell  his  diamonds  weight  for  weight;  he  is  mad  to 
exact  such  a  payment.  So  much  the  better  for  Ali 
the  first  time;  so  much  the  worse  for  him  the  sec- 
ond. Justice  has  not  two  weights  and  measures. 
Every  bargain  holds  good  before  the  law.  Either 
furnish  twenty  pounds  of  ants'  wings,  or  restore  the 
casket  to  the  Banian." 

"A  righteous  judgment! "  shouted  the  spectators, 
wonder-struck  at  such  equity. 

The  stranger,  beside  himself  with  joy,  embraced 
Omar,  calling  him  his  savior  and  master;  nor  did  he 
stop  there;  taking  from  the  casket  three  diamonds 
of  the  finest  water,  as  large  as  nightingales'  eggs, 
he  forced  them  on  Omar,  who  put  them  in  his  girdle, 
respectfully  kissed  the  Banian's  right  hand,  and  seated 
himself  by  his  father,  his  gravity  unmoved  by  the 
gaze  of  the  assembly. 

46 


ABDALLAH 

"Well  done,  my  friend,"  said  Mansour,  "but  All  is  a 
novice ;  had  he  not  neglected  the  cadi  he  would  have 
gained  his  suit.  It  is  my  turn  now ;  mark  me  well,  and 
profit  by  the  lesson  I  shall  give  you.  Stop,  young 
man !  "  he  cried  to  the  East  Indian,  who  was  carrying 
off  the  diamonds,  "we  have  an  account  to  settle.  I 
entreat  the  illustrious  cadi  to  keep  this  casket  for  a 
moment;  there  may  be  those  here  who  have  a  better 
right  to  it  than  either  this  stranger  or  the  prudent  AH." 

There  was  universal  surprise  among  the  specta- 
tors, and  all  listened  to  the  new  claimant. 

"The  day  before  yesterday"  said  Mansour,  "a 
veiled  lady  entered  my  shop  in  the  bazaar  and  asked 
to  look  at  some  necklaces.  Nothing  that  I  showed 
her  pleased  her  taste,  and  she  was  about  to  leave 
the  shop,  when  she  spied  a  sealed  box  in  a  corner, 
and  entreated  me  to  open  it.  This  box  contained  a 
set  of  topazes  which  were  no  longer  at  my  disposal, 
having  been  already  sold  to  the  Pacha  of  Egypt.  I 
told  the  lady  this,  but  she  insisted  on  at  least  seeing 
the  gift  destined  for  a  sultana.  A  woman's  wish  is 
a  thing  not  easily  thwarted.  There  are  three  kinds 
of  obstinacy  that  are  irresistible, — that  of  princes, 
of  children,  and  of  women.  I  was  so  weak  as  to 
yield.  The  stranger  looked  at  the  necklace,  tried  it 
on,  and  declared  that  she  would  have  it  at  any  price. 
On  my  refusal,  she  quitted  the  bazaar,  loading  me 
with  threats  and  maledictions.  An  hour  after,  this 
young  man  entered  my  shop,  and  bursting  into  tears, 
kissed  my  hand  and  entreated  me  to  sell  him  the 

47 


ABDALLAH 

necklace,  saying  that  his  own  life  and  that  of  the 
lady  depended  on  it.  'Ask  of  me  what  you  will, 
my  father^  said  he,  'but  I  must  have  these  gems  or 
die!  I  have  a  weakness  for  young  men,  and,  though 
I  knew  the  danger  of  disappointing  my  master  the 
pacha,  I  was  unable  to  resist  his  supplications.  'Take 
the  topazes,'  said  I  to  the  stranger,  'but  promise  to 
give  whatever  I  may  ask  in  exchange.'  'My  head 
itself,  if  you  will,  for  you  have  saved  my  life^  he  re- 
plied, as  he  carried  off  the  necklace.  We  were  with- 
out witnesses^'  added  Mansour,  turning  to  the  Banian, 
"but  is  not  my  story  true?" 

"Yes"  said  the  young  man,  "and  I  beg  your  par- 
don for  not  having  satisfied  you  sooner:  you  know 
the  cause.  Now  that  I  have  recovered  my  fortune, 
thanks  to  your  son,  ask  of  me  what  you  desire." 

"What  I  desire"  said  Mansour,  nodding  to  the 
pacha,  who  was  gazing  fixedly  at  a  palm  tree,  "what 
I  desire  is  this  casket  with  all  its  contents.  It  is  not 
too  much  for  a  man  who  risks  his  life  by  disobeying 
the  pacha.  Illustrious  magistrate,  your  excellency 
has  declared  that  all  bargains  hold  good  before  the 
law.  This  young  man  has  promised  to  give  me  what 
I  please ;  now  I  declare  that  nothing  pleases  me  but 
these  diamonds." 

The  cadi  raised  his  head  and  looked  about  the  as- 
sembly as  if  to  interrogate  the  faces,  then  stroked 
his  beard  and  relapsed  into  his  meditations. 

"Ali  is  defeated"  said  the  sheik  to  Omar,  with  a 
smile.  "The  fox  is  not  yet  born  more  cunning  than 
the  worthy  Mansour." 


ABDALLAH 

"I  am  lost! "  cried  the  Banian.  "Oh,  Omar,  have 
you  saved  me  only  to  cast  me  down  from  the  highest 
pinnacle  of  joy  to  the  depths  of  despair?  Persuade 
your  father  to  spare  me,  that  I  may  owe  my  life  to 
you  a  second  time." 

"Well,  my  son"  said  Mansour,  "doubtless  you  are 
shrewd,  but  this  will  teach  you  that  your  father 
knows  rather  more  than  you  do.  The  cadi  is  about 
to  decide;  try  whether  you  can  dictate  his  decree." 

"It  is  mere  child's  play"  answered  Omar,  shrug- 
ging his  shoulders;  "  but  since  you  desire  it,  my 
father,  you  shall  lose  your  suit."  He  rose,  and  taking 
a  piastre  from  his  girdle,  put  it  into  the  hand  of  the 
Banian,  who  laid  it  before  the  judge. 

"Illustrious  cadi,"  said  he,  "this  young  man  is  ready 
to  fulfill  his  engagement.  This  is  what  he  offers 
Mansour, — a  piastre.  In  itself,  this  coin  is  of  little 
value; l  but  examine  it  closely,  and  you  will  see  that 
it  is  stamped  with  the  likeness  of  the  sultan,  our 
gloiious  master.  May  God  destroy  and  confound  all 
who  disobey  his  highness !  It  is  this  precious  likeness 
that  we  offer  you,"  added  Omar,  turning  to  Mansour; 
"if  it  pleases  you,  you  are  paid;  to  dare  to  say  that 
it  displeases  you  is  an  insult  to  the  pacha,  a  crime 
punishable  by  death ;  and  I  am  sure  that  our  worthy 
cadi  will  not  become  your  accomplice, — he  who  has 
always  been  and  always  will  be  the  faithful  servant 
of  all  the  sultans." 

When  Omar  had  finished  speaking,  all  eyes  turned 

1  About  flve  cents. 

49 


ABDALLAH 

toward  the  cadi,  who,  more  impenetrable  than  ever, 
stroked  his  face  and  waited  for  the  old  man  to  come 
to  his  aid.  Mansour  was  agitated  and  embarrassed. 
The  silence  of  the  cadi  and  the  assembly  terrified 
him,  and  he  cast  a  supplicating  glance  toward  his  son. 

"My  father,"  said  Omar,  "permit  this  young  man 
to  thank  you  for  the  lesson  of  prudence  which  you 
have  given  him  by  frightening  him  a  little.  He 
knows  well  that  it  was  you  who  sent  me  to  his  aid, 
and  that  all  this  is  a  farce.  No  one  is  deceived  by 
hearing  the  son  oppose  the  father;  and  who  has  ever 
doubted  Mansour's  experience  and  generosity?" 

"No  one,"  interrupted  the  cadi,  starting  up  like  a 
man  suddenly  awakened  from  a  dream,  "and  I  least 
of  all;  and  this  is  why  I  have  permitted  you  to  speak, 
my  young  Solomon.  I  wished  to  honor  in  you  the 
wisdom  of  your  father;  but  another  time  avoid  med- 
dling with  his  highness's  name;  it  is  not  safe  to 
sport  with  the  lion's  paws.  The  matter  is  settled. 
The  necklace  is  worth  a  hundred  thousand  piastres, 
is  it  not,  Mansour?  This  madcap  shall  give  you, 
therefore,  a  hundred  thousand  piastres,  and  all  par- 
ties will  be  satisfied." 

Despite  his  modesty,  Omar  could  not  escape  the 
gratitude  of  the  East  Indian  or  the  praises  of  the 
merchants.  The  former  tried  to  force  the  casket  into 
his  hands;  and  it  was  impossible  to  prevent  him 
from  seizing  the  bridle  of  the  mule  that  carried 
Omar,  and  accompanying  to  his  door  him  whom  he 
styled  the  most  generous  and  wisest  of  men.  The 

50 


ABDALLAH 

merchants,  on  their  side,  heaped  congratulations  on 
Mansour;  and  the  celebrated  case  which  called  forth 
the  wisdom  of  him  whom  the  sagacious  cadi  styled 
the  new  Solomon  is  still  talked  of  at  Djiddah. 

Once  at  home,  Mansour  broke  into  reproaches.  "I 
can  not  understand  you,  my  son"  said  he.  "I  had  a 
fortune  in  my  hands,  and  you  have  snatched  it  from 
me.  Is  this  your  idea  of  business?  Is  this  the  respect 
that  you  show  your  father?" 

"Have  patience,  my  father,"  replied  Omar,  coldly. 
"To-day  I  have  made  myself  a  reputation  for  pru- 
dence and  probity.  It  is  a  noise  that  will  be  lasting,  a 
first  impression  that  will  never  be  effaced.  Reputa- 
tion is  a  jewel  which  nothing  can  replace;  it  is  ten 
thousand  times  more  valuable  capital  than  your  dia- 
monds. All  distrust  Mansour's  cunning,  but  all  will 
confide,  like  this  foreigner,  in  Omar's  honesty  and 
integrity.  The  bait  is  thrown,  the  trout  will  not  be 
long  in  coming." 

Mansour  stood  confounded.  He  had  desired  a  son 
that  should  be  worthy  of  himself;  he  began  to  fear 
that  Eblis  had  granted  his  prayer  too  literally.  He 
admired  Omar  indeed;  such  calculation  at  so  tender 
an  age  could  not  but  delight  a  man  whose  whole  life 
had  been  one  of  calculation.  But  —  it  must  be  con- 
fessed to  the  old  man's  shame  —  this  precocious  ex- 
perience chilled  his  heart,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  he 
stood  appalled  before  this  sage  of  fifteen . 


VI 


VIRTUE  REWARDED 

1OTHING  was  wanting  to  Mansour's 
happiness;  during  the  five  remaining 
years  of  his  life  the  merchant  could 
fully  enjoy  the  education  and  success 
of  his  son.  He  saw  all  his  trade  pass 
into  Omar's  hands;  the  wealth  of  his 
house  became  enormous,  and,  as  is  always  the  case, 
public  esteem  increased  in  proportion  to  wealth. 
How  could  Omar  help  succeeding?  He  had  every- 
thing in  his  favor  —  an  abundance  of  money,  few 
passions  and  no  scruples.  None  had  ever  combined 
to  such  a  degree  what  constitutes  genius  in  busi- 
ness,—  love  of  gold  and  contempt  of  men.  Mansour 
could  therefore  breathe  his  last  in  peace.  His  life 
had  been  long,  disease  had  spared  his  old  age,  his 
dreams  were  realized,  and  he  was  sure  of  leaving  an 
heir  behind  him  who  would  keep  and  increase  the 
fortune  accumulated  with  such  difficulty;  yet  it  is 
affirmed  that  the  Egyptian  died  with  his  heart  filled 
with  rage,  crying  out  that  no  one  loved  him,  exe- 
crating his  folly,  and  trembling  at  the  sight  of  his 


52 


ABDALLAH 

treasures,  as  if  the  gold,  heated  in  the  infernal  fire, 
already  lay  a  burning  weight  on  his  breast  and  brow. 

Omar  heard  of  his  father's  death  with  complete 
resignation.  Business  had  called  him  away  from  his 
dying  bed;  business  was  his  consolation.  His  cour- 
age was  worthy  of  admiration ;  at  the  mere  sight  of 
a  piastre,  he  dried  up  his  tears  and  stifled  his  sorrow. 

Left  alone  with  so  noble  an  inheritance,  the  son 
of  Mansour  set  no  bounds  to  his  desires.  Nothing 
escaped  his  schemes ;  it  seemed  as  if  from  within  his 
little  house  in  Djiddah,  like  the  spider  in  his  web, 
he  drew  all  the  wealth  of  the  world  into  his  invisible 
net.  Rice  and  sugar  from  India;  gum  and  coffee 
from  Yemen ;  ivory,  gold  dust,  and  slaves  from  Abys- 
sinia; corn  from  Egypt;  tissues  from  Syria;  ships  and 
caravans, — all  came  to  Omar.  Yet  never  did  man 
welcome  good  fortune  more  modestly.  To  see  him 
in  the  street  in  his  rusty  clothes  and  scanty  turban, 
his  eyes  cast  down,  telling  his  wooden  beads  with 
his  fingers,  he  would  not  have  been  thought  worth 
twenty  thousand  piastres.  Nothing  betrayed  the  rich 
man  in  his  conversation;  he  was  familiar  with  his  in- 
feriors, free  and  easy  with  his  equals,  cringing  toward 
those  from  whom  he  hoped  for  anything,  and  re- 
spectful toward  those  who  had  it  in  their  power  to 
do  him  an  injury.  According  to  him,  it  was  a  great 
mistake  to  attribute  to  him  a  large  fortune ;  all  this 
merchandise  was  not  his  property,  but  consignments 
from  foreign  correspondents  who  had  confidence  in 
him, — a  confidence  which  must  have  cost  him  dear, 

53 


ABDALLAH 

for  he  constantly  complained  of  losing  money.  If  he 
bought  the  handsomest  slaves,  the  richest  perfumes, 
the  choicest  tobacco,  and  the  rarest  stuffs,  it  was  al- 
ways for  some  pacha  or  foreign  trader.  It  was  whis- 
pered that  these  treasures  never  left  the  Egyptian's 
house  — who  can  silence  men's  tongues?  —but  nothing 
certain  was  known.  Omar  had  no  friends,  transacted 
his  business  at  the  bazaar,  and  received  no  visits. 
Whether  he1  was  poor  or  rich,  a  sage,  or  an  egotist, 
humble  or  hypocritical,  was  the  secret  of  Satan. 

His  prudence  was  on  a  par  with  his  modesty. 
Beginning  with  the  pacha  and  ending  with  the  col- 
lector of  customs,  there  was  not  an  officer  at  Djiddah, 
great  or  small,  with  whose  pipe-bearer,  groom,  or 
favorite  slave  Omar  was  not  acquainted.  He  was 
not  fond  of  giving,  and  often  repeated  the  maxim  of 
the  Koran  that  prodigals  are  the  brethren  of  Satan ; 
but  he  knew  how  to  open  his  hand  at  the  right  time, 
and  no  one  ever  repented  a  service  rendered  this 
honest  man.  Pachas  pass  away  quickly  at'Djiddah; 
the  hand  of  the  Turk  is  heavy,  and  the  richest  mer- 
chants were  often  forced  to  pay  a  ransom.  The  son 
of  Mansour  alone  escaped  these  loans,  which  are 
never  repaid.  Within  a  week,  by  one  means  or  an- 
other, he  was  the  friend,  it  was  even  said,  the  banker, 
of  the  new  governor,  and  the  storm  which  had 
threatened  him  always  burst  on  other  heads  than 
his,  so  that  he  was  an  object  of  astonishment  and 
envy  to  all  his  brethren. 

The  day  came,  however,  when  his  star  paled.    A 

54 


ABDALLAH 

pacha,  who  had  made  a  fortune  in  three  months  in 
rather  too  obvious  a  manner,  was  recalled  to  Con- 
stantinople, and  his  successor  received  orders  to  be 
an  honest  man;  the  government  being  anxious  to 
please  the  Franks,  of  whom,  unhappily,  it  stood  in 
need,  and  who  were  raising  a  great  outcry.  Turk  as 
he  was,  the  new  pacha  understood  how  to  give  satis- 
faction in  high  places.  The  day  after  his  arrival,  he 
went  in  disguise  to  buy  provisions  of  the  chief  butcher 
and  baker  in  Djiddah.  The  mohtesib,  or  inspector 
of  the  market,  was  forewarned,  and  was  ready  in  the 
street,  with  his  clerks  and  great  scales,  to  weigh  what 
the  pacha  had  just  bought.  The  twelve  pounds  of 
bread  fell  short  two  ounces,  and  the  huge  quarter  of 
mutton  one  ounce.  The  crime  was  a  flagrant  one, 
and  the  offenders  were  speedily  brought  to  justice. 
The  pacha  overwhelmed  the  wretches  who  fattened 
on  the  sweat  of  the  people  with  abuse  and  reproaches, 
and,  in  his  just  anger,  refused  to  listen  to  their  de- 
fence, but  ordered  them  to  be  instantly  stripped, 
bound,  and  bastinadoed,  after  which  by  express  com- 
mand the  baker  was  nailed  by  the  ear  to  his  shop 
door,  and  the  butcher  was  fastened  to  one  of  the 
windows  of  the  great  mosque,  after  having  his  nose 
pierced  with  an  iron  wire  from  which  the  ounce  of 
meat  which  he  had  stolen  was  suspended.  The  popu- 
lace heaped  every  species  of  outrage  upon  the  two 
unfortunates ;  God  was  glorified  throughout  the  whole 
city;  the  pacha  was  styled  the  friend  of  the  people, 
the  lover  of  justice,  and  the  new  Haroun  Al-Raschid; 

55 


ABDALLAH 

and  the  story  of  this  virtuous  deed,  after  rejoicing 
the  sultan,  spread  to  the  West,  to  the  confusion  and 
despair  of  the  infidels. 

On  the  same  evening  several  of  the  merchants 
freighted  a  ship  for  Egypt,  having  suddenly  learned 
that  their  presence  was  needed  at  Cairo.  Omar,  in- 
stead of  giving  way  to  terror,  calmly  stroked  his 
beard.  "Virtue  is  a  kind  of  merchandise  not  in  the 
market"  thought  he ;  "  when  it  is  needed,  therefore, 
it  must  be  bought  dear."  Whereupon  he  repaired  to 
the  bazaar,  chanced  to  meet  the  pacha's  secretary, 
made  him  sit  down  beside  him,  and  offered  him  a  pipe 
by  mistake  that  had  been  designed  for  the  sultan. 

"It  is  always  bad  policy  to  do  justice  to  the  peo- 
ple" said  Omar  to  the  secretary;  "once  led  into  bad 
habits,  they  grow  exacting.  It  is  a  death-blow  to 
large  speculations."  The  secretary  gazed  at  his  mag- 
nificent pipe,  and  thought  Omar  a  man  of  sense. 

Alas!  the  Egyptian  had  judged  but  too  rightly. 
The  first  market-day  grain  was  found  to  have  risen 
two  piastres  an  ardeb.1  The  populace  became  ex- 
cited ;  two  men  especially  talked  with  extreme  vehe- 
mence,—the  butcher  whose  nose  had  been  slit,  and 
the  one-eared  baker.  The  cheats  of  yesterday  had 
become  the  heroes  of  to-day;  they  were  pitied  as 
victims,  and  the  more  they  clamored  the  more  they 
were  admired. 

From  word  to  deed  there  is  but  a  step  among  the 
populace.  The  mob  was  already  attempting  to  burst 

'About  five  bushels. 

56 


ABDALLAH 

open  Omar's  house  when  the  chief  of  the  police,  sur- 
rounded by  soldiers,  came  to  summon  the  merchant 
before  the  pacha.  Omar  received  the  officer  with  an 
emotion  that  may  be  easily  understood,  and  fervently 
glued  his  lips  to  his  hand ;  but  the  chief  of  the  police 
hastily  withdrew  it,  and  thrust  it  clinched  into  his 
girdle,  as  if  polluted  by  the  kiss  of  a  criminal.  Never- 
theless, he  neither  abused  nor  maltreated  the  son  of 
Mansour,  to  the  great  displeasure  of  the  populace, 
which  loves  justice  and  is  not  sorry  to  see  a  man 
accused  of  crime  treated  as  though  convicted  of  it, 
especially  when  he  is  rich ;  on  the  contrary,  the  chief 
of  the  police  more  than  once  urged  the  prisoner  to 
rely  on  the  equity  of  the  governor. 

"What  is  written  is  written  "  replied  the  Egyptian, 
telling  his  beads  one  by  one. 

The  doors  of  the  palace  were  open,  and  the  people 
thronged  into  the  courtyard,  where  the  pacha  sat, 
grave  and  impassive,  calming  the  turbulent  passions 
around  him  by  his  presence.  The  two  accusers  were 
brought  forward;  the  governor  commanded  them  to 
speak  without  fear.  "Justice  for  all  is  my  duty"  said 
he  aloud;  "rich  or  poor,  no  plunderer  shall  find  grace 
in  my  sight." 

"God  is  great  and  the  pacha  is  just"  cried  the 
crowd ;  whereupon  four  merchants,  quaking  with  fear, 
were  thrust  before  the  tribunal,  all  of  whom  kissed 
the  Koran  and  swore  that  Omar  had  bought  from 
them  all  the  corn  imported  from  Egypt. 

"Death!  death!"  cried  the  people.    The  pacha 

57 


ABDALLAH 

made  a  sign  that  the  accused  should  be  heard,  and 
silence  ensued. 

"Oh,  my  lord  and  master"  cried  Omar,  prostrating 
his  forehead  on  the  earth,  "your  slave  places  his  head 
in  your  hands.  God  loves  those  who  show  mercy; 
the  meaner  the  culprit,  the  more  noble  is  it  not  to 
crush  him.  Solomon  himself  spared  the  ant.  It  is 
true  that  I  have  bought  a  few  cargoes  of  corn  in  the 
harbor  of  Djiddah,  as  any  honest  merchant  may  do; 
but  all  here,  except  my  enemies,  know  that  the  pur- 
chase was  made  for  my  master  the  sultan.  This  corn 
is  designed  for  the  troops  posted  by  your  highness 
on  the  road  to  Mecca  for  the  protection  of  the  pil- 
grims; so,  at  least,  I  was  told  by  your  highness's  secre- 
tary, when  he  gave  me  the  money  in  your  name,  which 
a  poor  man  like  me  was  not  able  to  advance.  May  my 
master  pardon  me  for  delaying  so  long  to  send  him 
the  thousand  ardebs  of  corn  that  he  ordered!  the 
chief  of  the  police  will  tell  your  highness  that  force 
alone  has  prevented  me  from  obeying  him." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  a  thousand  ardebs  of  corn?  " 
asked  the  governor,  fiercely. 

"Forgive  me,  my  lord"  returned  Omar,  in  an  agi- 
tated voice ;  "  I  am  so  much  troubled  that  it  is  difficult 
for  me  to  reckon  correctly.  I  believe  that  it  was 
fifteen  hundred"  he  added,  gazing  at  the  contracted 
features  of  the  pacha,  "if  not,  indeed,  two  thousand." 

"It  was  three  thousand"  said  the  secretary,  hand- 
ing a  paper  to  the  governor.  "Here  is  the  order 
given  to  this  man,  in  my  own  handwriting,  under  the 

seal  of  your  highness." 

58 


ABDALLAH 

"And  has  the  merchant  received  the  money  in  pay- 
ment?" asked  the  pacha,  in  a  softened  tone. 

"Yes,  your  excellency"  replied  Omar,  bowing  anew. 
"The  chief  of  the  police,  here  present,  will  tell  you 
that  he  transmitted  this  order  to  me,  and  your  high- 
ness's  secretary  advanced  me  yesterday  the  two  hun- 
dred thousand  piastres  which  I  needed  for  the  pur- 
chase. I  am  therefore  responsible  to  the  pacha  for 
two  hundred  thousand  piastres  or  three  thousand 
ardebs  of  corn." 

"Then  what  is  all  this  noise  about?"  exclaimed 
the  pacha,  looking  savagely  at  the  two  frightened 
accusers.  "Is  this  the  respect  you  pay  my  master  the 
sultan?  Are  the  soldiers  who  protect  the  holy  pil- 
grims to  die  of  famine  in  the  desert?  Seize  these 
two  knaves,  and  give  each  of  them  thirty  strokes  of 
the  bastinado.  Justice  for  all,  and  no  grace  for  false 
witnesses.  To  accuse  an  innocent  man  is  to  rob  him 
of  more  than  life." 

"  Well  said  "cried  the  multitude ;  "the  pacha  is  right." 

The  sentence  pronounced,  the  butcher  was  seized 
by  four  soldiers,  who  did  not  scruple  to  do  justice  in 
their  own  cause.  A  running  noose  was  passed  round 
the  prisoner's  ankles  and  fastened  to  a  stake,  after 
which  one  of  the  Arnauts,  armed  with  a  stick,  beat 
the  soles  of  his  feet  with  all  his  might.  The  butcher 
was  a  hero  in  his  way ;  he  counted  the  strokes  one  by 
one,  and,  the  punishment  being  ended,  was  carried 
off  by  his  friends,  casting  furious  glances  at  Omar. 
The  one-eared  man  was  less  resolute ;  at  every  blow 

59 


ABDALLAH 

he  uttered  Allah!  with  a  groan  that  might  have 
melted  a  heart  of  stone.  At  the  twelfth  stroke  Omar 
kissed  the  ground  before  the  pacha  and  entreated 
pardon  for  the  culprit,  which  was  graciously  granted. 
This  was  not  all ;  he  slipped  a  douro  into  the  wounded 
man's  hand  before  all  the  people,  and  declared  that 
he  had  thirty  ardebs  of  corn  left,  which  should  be 
divided  among  the  poor;  then  returned  home  amid 
the  blessings  of  those  very  persons  who,  an  hour 
before,  were  ready  to  tear  him  to  pieces.  Praises  or 
threats,  he  received  both  with  the  same  humility  or 
the  same  indifference.  "Allah  be  praised!"  said  he, 
on  entering  his  house.  "The  pacha  drove  rather  a 
hard  bargain,  but  now  I  have  him  in  my  hands." 

Tranquil  in  this  respect,  the  son  of  Mansour  resumed 
his  ingenious  schemes.  Thanks  to  him,  the  wealth  of 
Djiddah  increased  daily.  One  morning,  on  waking, 
the  slave-dealers  learned  with  joy  that  the  price  of 
their  merchandise  had  doubled.  Unfortunately,  they 
had  sold  all  they  had  the  day  before  to  Omar,  to  fill 
an  order  from  Egypt.  The  next  month  it  was  rice, 
then  tobacco,  wax,  coffee,  sugar,  and  gold  dust. 
Everything  rose  in  value;  but  Omar's  correspondents 
were  always  the  ones  that  profited  by  this  sudden 
rise.  In  this  manner  Djiddah  became  an  opulent  mar- 
ket, so  wealthy,  indeed,  that  the  poor  could  no  longer 
live  there ;  though  the  rich  acquired  fortunes  by  buy- 
ing the  good  graces  of  the  Egyptian. 

As  to  him,  seated  every  day  at  his  counter,  more 
honeyed  than  ever  to  those  of  whom  he  had  need,  he 

60 


ABDALLAH 

passed  the  hours  in  counting  on  his  beads  the  millions 
of  piastres  that  he  accumulated  in  all  directions.  He 
said  to  himself  in  his  heart  that,  despised  as  he  was, 
he  was  the  master  of  men,  and  that  should  he  need 
the  assistance  of  the  sultan,  he  was  rich  enough  to 
buy  him  as  well  as  his  seraglio  in  the  bargain. 

Men  do  not  grow  rich  with  impunity.  It  is  as  impos- 
sible to  hide  fortune  as  smoke.  Despite  all  his  humil- 
ity, Omar  received  an  invitation  from  the  grand  sherif 
of  Mecca  to  repair  to  Taif  for  an  important  service, 
which  he  alone,  it  was  said,  could  render  the  descend- 
ant of  the  Prophet.  The  merchant  was  less  elated  by 
the  honor  than  dismayed  at  the  service  which  might 
be  asked  of  him.  "The  rich  have  two  kinds  of  foes," 
said  he,  "the  small  and  the  great.  The  first  are  like 
the  ants,  that  empty  the  house  grain  by  grain;  the 
second  like  the  lion,  the  king  of  robbers,  that  flays  us 
with  one  stroke  of  his  paw.  But  with  patience  and 
cunning,  it  is  easier  to  shake  off  the  lion  than  the  ant. 
Let  us  see  what  the  sherif  desires;  if  he  wishes  to 
deceive  me,  I  will  not  be  duped  by  him ;  if  he  wishes 
to  be  paid,  he  shall  give  me  the  worth  of  the  money." 

It  was  with  this  respect  for  the  Commander  of  the 
Faithful  that  Omar  took  the  way  to  Taif.  The  sight 
of  the  desert  soon  changed  the  current  of  his  thoughts. 
The  tents  and  the  clumps  of  palm  trees  scattered  amid 
the  sands  recalled  his  childhood,  and  for  the  first  time 
his  brother  Abdallah  recurred  to  his  memory.  "Who 
knows"  he  thought,  "whether  by  chance  I  may  not 
need  him?" 

61 


VII 


HILE  the  son  of  Mansour  abandoned 
himself  to  the  love  of  gain,  as  if  he 
•were  to  live  forever,  Abdallah  grew  in 
piety,  wisdom,  and  virtue.  He  had 
adopted  his  father's  calling,  and  guided 
the  caravans  between  Yambo,  Medina, 
and  Mecca.  As  ardent  as  the  young  horse  that  flings 
his  mane  to  the  wind,  and  as  prudent  as  a  graybeard, 
he  had  gained  the  confidence  of  the  principal  mer- 
chants, and,  despite  his  youth,  it  was  he  that  was 
recommended  by  preference  to  the  pilgrims  when 
they  thronged  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  in  the  sacred 
month,  to  march  seven  times  round  the  holy  Caaba, 
encamp  on  Mount  Arafat,  and  offer  sacrifices  in  the 
valley  of  the  Mina.  These  journeys  were  not  without 
peril.  The  Bedouin  had  more  than  once  risked  his  life 
to  protect  those  under  his  keeping,  but  he  had  fought 
so  well  that  all  on  his  route  were  beginning  to  respect 
and  fear  him.  The  aged  Hafiz  never  quitted  his 
pupil;  crippled  as  he  was,  he  always  found  means  to 
be  useful.  Wherever  there  are  men,  there  are  always 


62 


ABDALLAH 

stout  arms  and  resolute  hearts,  but  not  always  a  faith- 
ful friend  and  wise  counsellor. 

This  life,  interspersed  with  repose  and  alarm,  peace 
and  danger,  was  delightful  to  the  son  of  Yusuf.  To 
live  a  brave  man,  and  die  like  a  soldier,  in  case  of  need, 
as  his  father  had  done,  was  Abdallah's  sole  ambition. 
His  wishes  went  no  farther.  Nevertheless,  a  cloud 
overshadowed  the  serenity  of  his  soul.  Halima  had 
told  him  of  the  dervish,  and  the  child  of  the  desert 
thought  continually  of  the  mysterious  plant  which 
had  the  gift  of  bestowing  happiness  and  virtue. 

Hafiz,  to  whom  Abdallah  first  opened  his  heart, 
saw  in  this  thought  nothing  but  a  snare  of  Satan. 
"What  is  the  use  of  troubling  yourself?"  he  said. 
"God  tells  us  how  to  please  him  in  the  Koran;  he 
has  but  one  law, — do  what  he  bids,  and  have  no  far- 
ther anxiety;  our  business  is  only  with  the  present 
moment." 

These  words  failed  to  appease  the  curiosity  of 
Abdallah.  Hafiz  had  told  him  so  many  marvels  which 
he  did  not  doubt,  why  should  he  not  believe  the  story 
of  this  talisman  to  be  true,  and  why  might  not  one 
of  the  faithful  discover  it?  "We  dwellers  among  the 
tents  are  unlearned"  thought  the  Bedouin;  "what 
hinders  me  from  questioning  the  pilgrims?  God  has 
dispersed  the  truth  abroad  throughout  the  earth ;  who 
knows  whether  some  hadji  of  the  East  or  West  may 
not  know  the  secret  which  I  am  seeking?  The  der- 
vish did  not  answer  my  mother  at  random ;  and  with 
God's  help  I  will  find  the  right  path." 

63 


ABDALLAH 

A  short  time  after,  Abdallah  guided  to  Mecca  a 
caravan  of  pilgrims  from  Egypt.  At  the  head  of  the 
troop  was  a  physician,  who  talked  constantly,  laughed 
without  ceasing,  and  doubted  everything,— a  Frank, 
it  was  said,  who  had  abjured  his  errors  to  enter  the 
service  of  the  pacha.  Abdallah  resolved  to  question 
him.  As  they  passed  a  meadow,  he  gathered  a  sprig 
of  shamrock  in  blossom,  and  presenting  it  to  the 
stranger,  "Is  this  plant  known  in  your  country?" 
said  he. 

"Certainly "  answered  the  physician.  "It  is  what 
you  call  barsim,  and  we  trijblium.  It  is  the  Alexan- 
drian trefoil,  family  leguminosae,  calyx  tubular,  corolla 
persistent,  petals  divided  into  three  segments  or  foli- 
olae,  and  sometimes  into  four  or  even  five,  though  this 
is  an  exception,  or,  as  we  say,  a  monstrosity." 

"Is  there  no  species  of  shamrock,  then,  in  your 
country  that  always  has  four  leaves  ?  " 

"  No,  my  young  scholar,  neither  in  my  country  nor 
anywhere  else.  Why  do  you  ask ?" 

Abdallah  gave  him  his  confidence,  whereupon  he 
burst  out  laughing.  "My  child" said  he,  "the  dervish 
was  but  fooling  your  mother.  She  asked  what  was 
impossible  of  him,  and  he  promised  her  what  was 
impossible." 

"Why  should  not  God  create  a  four-leaved  sham- 
rock if  he  wished?"  asked  the  Bedouin,  wounded  by 
the  stranger's  disdainful  smile. 

"Why,  young  man?  Because  the  earth  produced 
all  the  plants  on  one  day  by  virtue  of  a  germinating 

64 


ABDALLAH 

power  which  was  then  exhausted.  Since  the  time  of 
King  Solomon  there  has  been  nothing  new  under 
the  sun." 

"And  if  God  wished  to  work  a  miracle,  is  his  power 
exhausted?  "  said  Hafiz,  who  had  approached  the  trav- 
ellers. "He  who  drew  the  seven  heavens  and  the 
seven  earths  from  the  smoke  in  the  space  of  two 
days,  and  set  them  five  hundred  days'  march  from 
each  other ;  he  who  ordered  the  night  to  envelop  the 
day;  he  who  planted  life  everywhere,— could  he  not 
add  a  new  blade  of  grass  to  the  millions  of  plants 
which  he  has  created  for  the  food  and  pleasure 
of  man  ?  " 

"Certainly,"  replied  the  physician,  in  a  mocking 
tone ;  "  I  am  too  good  a  Mussulman  to  pretend  the 
contrary.  God  might  also  send  his  thunderbolt  to 
light  my  pipe  that  has  just  gone  out,  but  he  does  not 
wish  to  do  it;  on  the  contrary,  he  wishes  me  to  ask 
you  for  a  little  fire."  With  these  words  he  began  to 
puff  his  pipe  and  to  whistle  a  foreign  air. 

"Accursed  be  unbelievers!"  cried  the  cripple. 
"  Come,  my  son,  leave  this  miscreant,  whose  breath 
is  death.  If  it  is  in  punishment  for  our  sins  that  God 
has  given  the  Franks  the  knowledge  that  makes  their 
power,  it  is  also  to  chastise  these  dogs,  and  hurry 
them  faster  toward  the  bottomless  pit.  Madmen, 
who,  to  deny  God,  make  use  of  his  very  power,  and 
the  perpetual  miracle  of  his  goodness!  Begone,  infi- 
del! "  he  added,  raising  his  hand  to  heaven,  as  if  to 
call  down  its  thunders  on  the  head  of  the  renegade ; 

65 


ABDALLAH 

"begone,  ingrate,  who  turnest  thy  back  upon  the 
Lord!  God  beholds  the  innermost  recesses  of  thy 
soul;  thou  wilt  die  in  despair,  and  wilt  feed  forever 
on  the  tree  of  hell,  with  its  bitter  fruit  and  thorns." 

At  the  other  end  of  the  caravan  walked  a  Persian, 
with  a  white  beard  and  a  tall  sheepskin  hat,  the  poor- 
est and  most  aged  of  the  band,  as  well  as  the  most 
despised,  for  he  was  of  a  heretical  nation.  The  old 
man  seemed  unconscious  of  his  poverty,  age  and  soli- 
tude. He  spoke  to  no  one,  ate  little,  and  smoked  all 
day  long.  Perched  on  a  lean  camel,  he  passed  his 
whole  time  in  turning  in  his  ringers  the  ninety-nine 
beads  of  his  rosary,  lifting  his  trembling  head  mean- 
while toward  heaven,  and  murmuring  mysterious 
words.  The  poor  man's  gentleness  and  piety  had 
touched  Abdallah's  heart.  Too  young  as  yet  to  know 
hatred,  it  was  with  the  heretic  that  the  son  of  Yusuf 
sought  a  refuge  from  the  unbeliever. 

The  animated  face  and  sparkling  eyes  of  the  young 
guide  touched  the  heart  of  the  dervish,  who  welcomed 
the  confidence  that  he  divined  with  a  kindly  smile. 
"My  son,"  said  he,  "God  give  thee  the  wit  of  Plato, 
the  knowledge  of  Aristotle,  the  star  of  Alexander, 
and  the  happiness  of  Cosroes !  " 

"My  father,  thou  speakest  well"  cried  Abdallah; 
"it  is  knowledge  that  I  need,— not  the  knowledge  of 
a  heathen,  but  that  of  a  true  Mussulman,  to  whom 
faith  opens  the  treasure  of  truth." 

"Speak,  my  son"  returned  the  old  man;  "per- 
chance I  can  serve  thee.  Truth  is  like  the  pearl;  he 

66 


ABDALLAH 

alone  possesses  it  who  has  plunged  into  the  depths 
of  life  and  torn  his  hands  on  the  rocks  of  time.  What 
thou  seekest  I  perhaps  have  found.  Who  knows 
whether  I  may  not  be  able  to  give  thee  the  light 
which  thou  enviest,  and  which  is  now  valueless  to  my 
dim  eyes?" 

Won  by  such  kindliness,  Abdallah  poured  out  his 
soul  before  the  dervish,  who  listened  in  silence.  The 
confidence  ended,  the  old  man  for  his  sole  answer 
drew  a  lock  of  white  wool  from  the  mat  on  which  he 
was  sitting,  and  cast  it  to  the  wind;  then,  swaying 
his  body  like  a  drunken  man,  and  fixing  a  strange 
gaze  on  Abdallah,  he  improvised  the  following  lines, — 

"Tulip  with  dark  corolla,  charming  cypress, 
Young  man,  with  eyes  more  black  and  soft  than  night, 
Seest  thou  yon  white  speck  fluttering  in  the  breeze? 
Thus  pass  our  days, —  a  dream  that  soon  is  told! 
The  desert  rain  less  speedily  dries  up, 
The  falling  rose  less  quickly  fades  away ; 
All  cheats  or  fails  us,  and  the  noblest  life 
Is  but  the  long  sigh  of  a  last  adieu. 
God  alone  is  true ;  God  alone  is  great ;  alone  is  God  ! 
Wouldst  thou,  my  child,  that  in  the  sacred  book 
Thy  guardian  angel  should  inscribe  thy  name? 
Flee  the  intoxicating  joys  of  sense. 
God  loves  a  heart  unsullied  by  the  world. 
The  body  naught  is  but  a  sepulchre ; 
Happy  the  man  who  breaks  its  deadening  bonds, 
To  plunge  into  the  depths  of  boundless  love ! 
To  live  in  God  is  death;  to  die  in  God  is  life !" 

"Thy  words  inflame  my  heart"  said  Abdallah;  "but 
thou  dost  not  answer  me." 

67 


ABDALLAH 

"What,  my  son!  "  cried  the  mystic,  "dost  thou  not 
understand  me?  The  four-leaved  shamrock  does  not 
exist  on  earth;  thou  must  seek  it  elsewhere.  The 
four -leaved  shamrock  is  a  symbol, — it  is  the  impossi- 
ble, the  ineffable,  the  infinite !  Wouldst  thou  possess 
it?  I  will  reveal  to  thee  the  secret.  Stifle  thy  senses ; 
become  blind,  mute,  and  deaf;  quit  the  city  of  exist- 
ence ;  be  like  a  traveler  in  the  kingdom  of  nothing- 
ness ;  plunge  into  ecstatic  rapture ;  and  when  nothing 
more  causes  your  heart  to  beat,  when  you  have  encir- 
cled your  brow  with  the  glorious  crown  of  death,  then, 
my  son,  thou  wilt  find  eternal  love,  and  be  swal- 
lowed up  in  it  like  a  drop  of  water  in  the  vast  ocean . 
This  is  life !  When  nothing  was  yet  in  being,  love 
existed;  when  nothing  more  remains,  love  will 
endure;  it  is  the  first  and  the  last;  it  is  God  and 
man;  it  is  the  Creator  and  the  creature;  it  is  the 
height  above,  and  the  depth  below;  it  is  everything." 

"Old  man"  said  the  Bedouin,  affrighted,  "age  has 
weakened  thy  reason;  thou  dost  not  feel  that  thou 
art  blaspheming.  God  alone  existed  before  the  world 
had  being,  God  alone  will  remain  when  the  heavens 
shall  have  crushed  the  earth  in  their  fall.  He  is  the 
first  and  the  last,  the  manifest  and  the  hidden;  he 
knoweth  all  things,  and  is  able  to  do  all  things." 

The  old  man  did  not  hear ;  he  seemed  in  a  dream ; 
his  lips  moved,  his  eyes  were  fixed  and  sightless ;  a 
vision  carried  far  from  the  earth  this  victim  of  the 
delusions  of  Satan.  Abdallah  returned  mournfully  to 
Hafiz  and  related  to  him  this  new  disappointment. 

68 


ABDALLAH 

"My  child"  said  the  cripple,  "flee  these  madmen 
who  intoxicate  themselves  with  visions  like  others 
with  opium  or  hashish.  They  are  idolators  who  wor- 
ship themselves.  Poor  fools!  does  the  eye  create  the 
light?  does  the  mind  of  man  create  the  truth?  Woe 
to  him  who  draws  from  his  brain  a  world  lighter  and 
more  hollow  than  a  bubble;  woe  to  him  who  sets 
man  on  the  throne  of  God !  As  soon  as  he  enters  the 
city  of  dreams  he  is  lost;  God  is  effaced,  faith  evap- 
orates, the  will  becomes  lifeless,  and  the  soul  is 
stifled;  it  is  the  reign  of  darkness  and  death." 


VIII 


jOUTH  is  the  season  of  hope  and 
desire.  Despite  his  discomfiture,  Ab- 
dallah  did  not  tire  of  questioning  the 
pilgrims  whom  he  guided  to  Mecca, 
still  relying  on  a  happy  chance;  but 
Persia,  Syria,  Egypt,  Turkey,  and 
India  were  mute,  —  no  one  had  heard  of  the  four- 
leaved  shamrock.  Hafiz  condemned  a  curiosity  which 
he  thought  guilty,  while  Halima  consoled  her  son  by 
making  him  believe  that  she  still  hoped  with  him. 

One  day,  when  Abdallah  had  retired  to  his  tent 
more  melancholy  than  usual,  and  was  debating  in  his 
own  mind  whether  he  would  not  do  well  to  quit  his 
tribe  and  go  to  foreign  lands  in  search  of  the  talisman 
that  evaded  his  grasp,  a  Jew  entered  the  enclosure 
to  ask  hospitality.  He  was  a  little  old  man,  dressed 
in  rags,  so  thin  that  his  girdle  seemed  to  cut  him  in 
two.  Leaning  on  a  staff,  he  slowly  dragged  along  his 
feet,  wrapped  in  bloody  rags,  and  he  raised  his  head 
from  time  to  time  and  looked  around  as  if  imploring 
pity.  His  wrinkled  brow,  his  inflamed  eyelids,  his 


70 


ABDALLAH 

thin  lips  which  scarcely  covered  his  toothless  gums, 
his  disordered  beard  which  fell  to  his  waist,  every- 
thing about  him  bespoke  want  and  suffering.  The 
stranger  perceived  Abdallah,  and  stretched  out  his 
trembling  hand  to  him,  murmuring  in  a  weak  voice, 
"O  master  of  the  tent,  behold  a  guest  of  God !  " 

Wholly  absorbed  in  his  thoughts,  the  son  of  Yusuf 
heard  nothing.  The  old  man  had  already  thrice 
repeated  his  prayer  when  unhappily  he  turned  his 
head  toward  a  neighboring  tent,  where  a  negress  was 
nursing  her  child.  At  the  sight  of  the  Jew  the  woman 
hid  her  babe  to  preserve  it  from  the  evil  eye,  and 
rushing  from  her  tent,  cried,  "Begone,  thou  wretch, 
worthy  to  be  stoned !  Hast  thou  come  here  to  bring 
misfortune?  May  as  many  curses  light  on  thee  as 
there  are  hairs  in  thy  beard !  "  And  calling  the  dogs, 
she  set  them  on  the  wretched  man,  who  tried  to  flee ; 
but  his  foot  caught  in  his  robe  and  he  fell,  uttering 
lamentable  cries,  too  weak  to  drive  off  the  enemies 
that  were  tearing  him. 

His  shrieks  roused  Abdallah.  To  rush  to  the  Jew, 
punish  the  dogs,  and  threaten  the  slave  was  the  work 
of  an  instant.  He  picked  up  the  Jew,  took  him  in  his 
arms,  and  carried  him  into  the  tent;  a  moment  after 
he  was  washing  his  feet  and  hands,  and  binding  up 
his  wounds,  while  Halima  brought  him  dates  and 
milk. 

"I  bless  thee,  my  son,"  said  the  old  man  in  tears. 
"The  blessing  of  the  meanest  of  mankind  is  never 
contemptible  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  May  God 

71 


ABDALLAH 

remove  far  from  thee  jealousy,  sadness,  and  pride, 
and  grant  thee  wisdom,  patience,  and  peace,  —  the 
gifts  that  he  has  promised  to  the  generous  of  heart 
like  thee ! " 

At  evening,  Hafiz,  Abdallah,  and  the  Jew  talked 
long  together  round  their  frugal  repast,  although  the 
cripple  could  not  conceal  his  repugnance  to  the  son  of 
Israel.  Abdallah,  on  the  contrary,  listened  to  the  old 
man  with  interest,  for  the  stranger  was  a  great  trav- 
eller, and  told  them  of  his  journeyings.  He  was 
acquainted  with  Muscat,  Hindostan,  and  Persia;  he 
had  visited  the  country  of  the  Franks  and  crossed  the 
deserts  of  Africa;  he  had  now  come  from  Egypt 
through  Soudan,  and  was  returning  to  Jerusalem  by 
the  way  of  Syria. 

"But  the  object  of  my  search  is  not  wealth,  my 
dear  host"  said  the  Jew;  "more  than  once  have  I 
seen  it  on  the  roadside  and  passed  it  by.  Poverty 
befits  the  children  of  Abraham,  say  our  sages,  as  do 
scarlet  trappings  the  snow-white  steed.  What  I  have 
pursued  for  half  a  century  over  deserts  and  seas, 
through  fatigue  and  misery,  is  the  Word  of  God,  the 
sacred  tradition.  That  unwritten  word,  which  God 
gave  to  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai,  was  confided  by  Moses 
to  the  keeping  of  Joshua;  Joshua  transmitted  it  to 
the  seventy  elders,  the  elders  to  the  prophets,  and 
the  prophets  to  the  synagogue.  After  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  our  masters  collected  it  in  the  Talmud, 
but  how  far  were  they  from  possessing  it  entire !  To 
punish  the  sins  of  our  fathers,  God  broke  asunder  the 

72 


ABDALLAH 

truth,  and  scattered  the  fragments  to  the  four  winds 
of  heaven .  Happy  is  he  who  can  gather  together  these 
dispersed  shreds, — happy  is  he  who  can  discover  a 
ray  of  the  divine  splendor !  The  children  of  the  age 
may  despise  and  hate  him;  their  insults  are  to  his 
soul  like  the  rain  to  the  earth, — in  bursting  it  asunder, 
they  purify  and  refresh  it." 

"And  are  you  this  man,  my  father?"  said  Abdallah, 
so  deeply  moved  by  the  words  of  his  guest  that  he 
quite  forgot  that  he  was  talking  with  an  infidel. 
"  Have  you  discovered  this  treasure?  Do  you  possess 
the  whole  truth?" 

"I  am  but  a  worm  of  the  earth"  replied  the  Jew; 
"but  from  my  childhood  up  I  have  questioned  the 
masters,  and  entreated  them  to  repeat  to  me  the 
secrets  of  the  law ;  I  have  sought  in  the  Cabala  for 
the  wealth  that  is  thought  valueless  in  the  marts  of 
the  world,  and  I  have  endeavored  to  decipher  that 
language  of  numbers  which  is  the  key  to  all  truth. 
How  far  I  have  succeeded  God  alone  can  judge;  to 
him  be  the  praise!  One  thing  is  certain, — namely, 
that  the  angel  Razriel  initiated  Adam  into  the  myster- 
ies of  the  creation ;  and  who  dare  say  that  this  reve- 
lation is  lost?  If  there  lives  a  man  who  has  lifted  a 
comer  of  the  veil,  he  has  nothing  more  to  hope  or 
fear  on  earth ;  he  has  had  his  day,  and  is  ready  for 
death." 

"  My  father,"  inquired  the  young  Bedouin  trembling, 
"has  your  science  told  you  of  a  sacred  plant  which  at 
once  bestows  virtue  and  happiness?  " 

73 


ABDALLAH 

"Certainly,"  replied  the  old  man,  smiling;  "it  is 
treated  of  in  the  Zohar,  with  many  other  marvels." 

"It  is  the  four-leaved  shamrock,  is  it  not?" 

"  Perchance"  returned  the  Jew,  with  a  frown;  "but 
how  did  this  name  reach  your  ears?" 

When  the  son  of  Yusuf  had  finished  his  story,  the 
old  man  gazed  at  him  tenderly.  "My  son"  said  he, 
"the  poor  often  repay  hospitality  better  than  the 
rich,  for  God  himself  holds  the  purse-strings.  The 
secret  which  thou  art  seeking  I  long  ago  discovered 
in  the  recesses  of  Persia ;  and  since  God  has  led  my 
steps  to  thy  tent,  it  is  doubtless  because  he  has  chosen 
me  to  bring  thee  the  truth.  Listen,  and  let  what  I 
am  about  to  tell  thee  be  engraven  on  thy  heart." 

Hafiz  and  Abdallah  drew  near  the  old  man,  who 
related  the  following  tale  in  a  low  and  mysterious 
voice,— 

"  You  know  that  when  God  drove  our  first  father 
Adam  from  Paradise,  he  permitted  him  to  carry  with 
him  the  date-tree  to  serve  as  his  nourishment,  and 
the  camel,  which  was  molded  of  the  same  clay  as  him- 
self, and  which  could  not  exist  without  him." 

"That  is  true,"  exclaimed  the  cripple.  "When  my 
young  camels  come  into  the  world,  they  would  die  of 
hunger  if  I  did  not  hold  their  heads  to  their  mothers' 
udders;  the  camel  is  made  for  us,  as  we  are  for  the 
camel." 

"When  the  flaming  sword  drove  the  first  criminals 
before  it,  Adam  cast  a  look  of  despair  at  the  abode 
which  he  was  forced  to  forsake,  and,  to  carry  with 

74 


ABDALLAH 

him  a  last  memento,  broke  off  a  branch  of  myrtle. 
The  angel  let  him  alone;  he  remembered  that  by 
God's  command  he  had  formerly  worshipped  the  mor- 
tal whom  now  he  pitied." 

"True!"  said  Hafiz.  "It  was  the  same  branch  of 
myrtle  that  Shoaib  long  after  gave  to  his  son-in-law 
Moses;  it  was  the  staff  with  which  the  prophet  tended 
his  flocks,  and  with  which  he  afterward  wrought  his 
miracles  in  Egypt." 

"Eve  also  paused  in  tears  before  those  flowers  and 
trees  which  she  had  loved  so  well ;  but  the  sword  was 
pitiless,  and  she  was  forced  to  proceed.  Just  as  she 
was  about  to  go  out,  she  hastily  snatched  one  of  the 
plants  of  Paradise.  The  angel  shut  his  eyes  as  he  had 
done  with  Adam.  What  the  plant  was  Eve  knew  not ; 
she  had  clutched  it  in  her  flight,  and  had  instantly 
closed  her  hand.  She  would  have  been  wise  had  she 
carried  it  away  in  the  same  manner;  but  curiosity 
once  more  prevailed  over  prudence,  and  before  cross- 
ing the  fatal  threshold,  our  mother  opened  her  hand 
to  see  what  she  had  gathered.  It  was  the  four-leaved 
shamrock,  the  most  brilliant  of  all  the  flowers  of  Par- 
adise. One  leaf  was  red  like  copper,  another  white  like 
silver,  the  third  yellow  like  gold,  and  the  fourth  glit- 
tering like  diamond.  Eve  paused  to  look  at  her  treas- 
ure, when  the  fiery  sword  touched  her;  she  started, 
her  hand  trembled,  and  the  diamond  leaf  fell  within 
the  gates  of  Paradise,  while  the  other  three  leaves, 
swept  away  by  the  wind,  were  scattered  over  the 
earth;  where  they  fell  God  alone  knows." 

75 


ABDALLAH 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  the  young  man,  "  have  they 
never  since  been  seen?" 

"  Not  that  I  know  of;  and  it  is  even  possible  that 
the  stoiy  is  only  an  allegory,  concealing  some  pro- 
found truth." 

"No,  no"  said  Abdallah,  "that  is  not  so.  Try  to 
remember,  my  father;  perchance  you  will  recall  some- 
thing more.  I  must  have  this  plant  at  any  price;  I 
wish  it,  and  with  God's  aid  I  will  have  it." 

The  old  man  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  and  long 
remained  absorbed  in  contemplation.  Abdallah  and 
Hafiz  scarcely  dared  breathe  for  fear  of  disturbing 
his  revery .  "  My  efforts  are  in  vain ;  I  can  recall  noth- 
ing to  memory,"  said  he,  at  last;  "perhaps  my  book 
will  give  me  some  information."  He  took  from  his 
girdle  a  yellow  manuscript  volume,  with  a  black, 
greasy  cover,  turned  the  pages  slowly,  carefully  exam- 
ined the  squares,  circles,  and  alphabets  mixed  with 
figures,  beginning  some  with  aleph  and  others  with 
than,  the  last  letter  of  the  Hebrew  alphabet.  "  Here 
are  four  lines  which  are  repeated  in  Soudan,  and  which 
may  interest  you"  said  he,  at  last,  "but  their  mean- 
ing escapes  me, — 

" '  There  is  a  mysterious  herb 

That  grows  hidden  from  human  eyes ; 
Seek  it  not  upon  earth, 

'Twill  be  found  above  in  the  skies! 

"  Patience,  patience,"  he  added,  seeing  Abdallah's 
emotion,  "the  words  have  more  than  one  meaning; 
the  ignorant  seek  to  fish  up  truth  from  the  surface, 

76 


ABDALLAH 

the  wise  pursue  it  to  the  remotest  depths,  where  they 
attain  it,  thanks  to  the  most  powerful  of  instruments, 
the  sacred  decade  of  the  Sepiroth.  Do  you  not  remem- 
ber the  saying  of  one  of  our  masters,  the  Rabbi 
Halaphta,  the  son  of  Dozza? 

"'Seek  not  heaven  in  yonder  azure  depths, 

Where  glows  the  burning  sun  and  pales  the  moon ; 
For  heaven,  my  son,  lies  hid  in  thine  own  soul, 
And  paradise  is  naught  but  a  pure  heart! 

Yes,"  he  continued,  raising  his  voice,  "I  discern  a 
light  that  guides  me.  Since  God  has  permitted  us  to 
meet,  he  has  doubtless  decreed  that  you  shall  find 
what  you  desire ;  but  beware  of  outstripping  his  will 
by  a  vain  and  guilty  curiosity.  Follow  his  law,  execute 
his  commands,  create  a  heaven  in  your  soul,  and  some 
day,  perchance,  when  you  least  expect  it,  you  will 
find  the  desired  reward.  This,  at  least,  is  all  that  my 
science  can  tell  you." 

"Well  spoken,  old  man,"  said  Hafiz,  laying  his  hand 
on  Abdallah's  shoulder.  "Nephew"  he  added,  "God 
is  master  of  the  hour;  wait  and  obey." 


77 


IX 


THE  WELL  OF  ZOBEYDE 

|HE  night  was  a  sweet  one  to  Abdal- 
lah.  He  saw  the  mysterious  plant 
more  than  once  in  his  dreams,  and  as 
soon  as  he  awakened,  he  sought  to 
retain  the  friend  who  had  given  him 
hope ;  but  the  Jew  obstinately  refused 
his  entreaty.  "No,  my  son"  said  he,  "one  night  in 
thy  tent  is  enough.  The  first  day  a  man  is  a  guest, 
the  second  a  burden,  the  third  a  pest.  Thou  hast 
nothing  more  to  tell  me,  and  I  have  nothing  more 
to  teach  thee ;  it  is  time  for  us  to  part.  Let  me  thank 
thee  once  more,  and  pray  God  in  thy  behalf.  If  we 
have  no  longer  the  same  keblah,1  at  least  we  are  both 
the  children  of  Abraham,  and  both  worship  the  same 
God." 

The  only  favor  that  Abdallah  could  obtain  was  for 
the  Jew  to  mount  a  camel,  and  permit  his  two  friends 
to  accompany  him  a  day's  journey  on  his  way.  Hafiz 
had  taken  a  fancy  to  the  stranger,  and  Abdallah  hoped 

1  The  point  of  the  horizon  toward  which  men  turn  their  faces  in 
prayer;  the  Mohammedans  turn  toward  Mecca,  the  Jews  toward 
Jerusalem. 

78 


ABDALLAH 

to  gain  some  new  light  on  the  subject  nearest  his 
heart;  but  the  sight  of  the  desert  awakened  new 
ideas  in  the  old  man's  mind,  and  he  thought  no  more 
of  the  stories  of  the  past  night. 

"If  I  am  not  mistaken"  said  he  to  Hafiz,  "we  shall 
find  on  our  way  the  well  dug  in  olden  times  by  the 
Sultan  Zobeyde  in  his  pilgrimage  to  Mecca." 

"  Yes"  replied  the  cripple, "  it  is  Haroun  Al-Raschid's 
monument  in  our  country.  To  the  calif  and  his  pious 
wife  we  owe  our  finest  gardens." 

"A  glorious  monument,"  exclaimed  the  Jew,  "and 
one  that  will  endure  when  what  men  call  glory — that  is, 
blood  uselessly  shed  and  money  foolishly  spent — shall 
be  forgotten." 

"Spoken  like  one  of  the  children  of  Israel,"  rejoined 
Hafiz.  "  You  are  a  shop-keeping  people.  A  Bedouin 
reasons  in  a  different  fashion.  War  to  him  is  the  best 
thing  of  all  that  earth  affords.  He  who  has  not  looked 
death  in  the  face  knows  not  whether  he  is  a  man.  It 
is  noble  to  strike  with  the  front  to  the  foe ;  it  is  glo- 
rious to  overthrow  an  enemy  and  avenge  those  we 
love.  Are  you  not  of  the  same  mind,  my  nephew?" 

"  You  are  right,  my  uncle ;  but  battle  is  not  pleas- 
ure without  alloy.  I  remember  the  time,  when,  closely 
pressed  by  a  Bedouin  who  held  a  pistol  to  my  head, 
I  plunged  my  sword  into  his  breast.  He  fell;  my  joy 
was  extreme,  but  it  was  of  short  duration.  As  I  looked 
on  his  dim  eyes,  and  his  lips  covered  with  the  foam 
of  death,  I  thought  in  spite  of  myself  that  he  had  a 
mother  who,  however  proud  she  might  be  of  having 

79 


ABDALLAH 

given  birth  to  a  brave  man,  must  thenceforth  remain 
lonely  and  desolate,  as  my  mother  would  have  been 
had  her  son  been  killed  instead.  And  this  man  was  a 
Mussulman,  —  that  is,  a  brother!  Perhaps  you  are 
right"  added  the  young  man,  turning  to  the  Jew. 
"  War  doubtless  is  noble ;  but  to  fight  the  desert,  like 
the  calif,  and  force  the  wilderness  to  give  way  before 
fertility  and  abundance, — this  is  great  indeed !  Happy 
they  who  lived  in  the  days  of  Zobeyde  the  Good ! " 

"Why  not  imitate  those  you  admire?"  asked  the 
old  man,  in  a  low  tone,  as  if  wishing  to  be  heard  by 
Abdallah  alone. 

"Explain  yourself"  said  the  Bedouin;  "I  do  not 
understand  you." 

"Nor  I  either"  said  the  cripple. 

"It  is  because  the  eyes  of  youth  are  not  yet  open, 
and  those  of  old  age  are  blinded  by  habit.  Why  is 
this  clump  of  acacias  in  this  spot,  when  all  around  is 
barren?  Why  do  these  sheep  browse  on  grass  which 
is  almost  green  here  when  the  sands  of  the  desert 
have  dominion  everywhere  else?  Why  do  these  birds 
flutter  in  and  out  among  the  sheep,  and  pick  up  the 
still  sprouting  earth  with  their  beaks?  You  see  this 
daily,  and  because  you  see  it  daily  you  do  not  reflect 
on  it.  Men  are  made  thus;  they  would  admire  the 
sun  did  it  not  return  every  morning." 

"You  are  right"  said  Abdallah,  thoughtfully, — 
"there  is  water  in  this  spot ;  perhaps  one  of  the  wells 
formerly  dug  by  the  calif." 

"How  can  you  be  certain?"  asked  Hafiz. 

80 


ABDALLAH 

"You  would  not  ask  the  question"  returned  the 
Jew,  "if,  like  me,  you  had  grown  old  on  the  Talmud. 
Hearken  to  the  words  of  one  of  our  masters,  and 
know  that  all  knowledge  is  contained  in  our  law .  '  The 
words  of  the  law  before  the  coming  of  Solomon  were 
like  unto  a  well,  whose  cool  water  lies  far  below  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  so  that  none  can  drink  thereof. 
Seeing  this,  the  wise  man  fastens  one  rope  to  another 
and  one  thread  to  another,  then  draws  and  drinks. 
It  was  thus  that  Solomon  passed  from  allegory  to  alle- 
gory, and  from  speech  to  speech,  till  he  had  fathomed 
the  words  of  the  law.'" 

"Whoever  finds  this  spring  will  find  a  treasure" 
said  the  shepherd.  "Stay  with  us  stranger,  and  we 
will  seek  it  together:  you  shall  aid  us  with  your 
science,  and  we  will  share  with  you." 

"No"  replied  the  Jew.  "He  who  weds  Science 
weds  poverty.  I  have  lived  too  happily  for  half  a  cen- 
tury with  Study  to  be  divorced  from  her  now.  Wealth 
is  an  imperious  mistress ;  she  requires  the  whole  heart 
and  life  of  man.  Leave  her  to  the  young." 

The  sun  was  going  down  on  the  horizon.  The  old 
man  dismounted  from  his  camel  and  thanked  his  two 
companions,  whom  he  tenderly  embraced,  insisting 
that  they  should  go  no  farther.  "Be  not  concerned 
about  me"  he  said;  "he  has  nothing  to  fear  who  has 
poverty  for  his  baggage,  old  age  for  his  escort,  and  God 
for  his  companion."  And  waving  his  hand  for  the  last 
time,  he  resolutely  plunged  into  the  desert. 


81 


THE  COPPER  LEAF 


was  not  a  difficult  matter  to  purchase 
the  spot  of  ground  where  the  piercing 
eye  of  the  pilgrim  had  divined  a  spring; 
a  few  feddans l  of  half-barren  sand  are 
of  little  value  in  the  desert,  and 
twenty  douros  that  Halima  had  for- 
merly received  from  Mansour,  and  had  kept  carefully 
in  an  old  vase,  sufficed  to  crown  Abdallah's  wishes. 
Hafiz,  who  was  always  prudent,  gave  out  that  he 
intended  to  build  there  a  shelter  for  his  flock,  and 
immediately  set  to  work  to  bring  sufficient  boughs 
thither  to  conceal  from  all  eyes  the  mysterious  work 
about  to  be  undertaken. 

Wherever  there  are  women  and  children  there  are 
curiosity  and  gossip.  It  was  soon  a  common  rumor 
among  the  tribe  that  Hafiz  and  his  nephew  passed 
the  nights  in  digging  for  treasure ;  and  when,  at  night- 
fall, as  the  shepherds  led  their  flocks  to  water,  they 
spied  the  two  friends  covered  with  sand,  they  did  not 
spare  their  taunts  and  jeers.  "What  is  that,"  they 
lrThe  feddan  is  a  little  less  than  our  acre. 


82 


ABDALLAH 

asked, — "jackals  hiding  in  their  den,  dervishes  hol- 
lowing out  their  cell,  or  old  men  building  their 
tomb?"  "No"  was  the  answer,  "magicians  digging  a 
path  to  the  bottomless  pit."  "Let  them  be  patient" 
cried  others;  "they  will  find  their  way  there  only  too 
soon."  And  the  laughter  and  ridicule  went  on;  no  bit 
has  yet  been  found  to  curb  the  mouth  of  the  envious 
and  ignorant. 

Abdallah  and  his  uncle  continued  to  dig  with  ardor 
for  more  than  a  month,  with  but  little  progress;  the 
sand  caved  in,  and  the  night  destroyed  the  labor  of 
the  day.  Halima  was  the  first  to  lose  patience.  She 
accused  her  brother  of  having  yielded  too  easily  to 
the  folly  of  a  child.  By  degrees  Hafiz  grew  dis- 
couraged, acknowledged  the  justice  of  his  sister's  re- 
proaches, and  abandoned  the  undertaking.  "God  has 
punished  me  for  my  weakness"  said  he.  "It  was  a 
great  mistake  to  listen  to  the  wretched  impostor  who 
amused  himself  with  our  credulity.  Could  anything 
else  have  been  expected  from  those  eternal  foes  of 
the  Prophet  and  the  truth?" 

Abdallah,  left  alone,  did  not  suffer  himself  to  be 
cast  down  by  misfortune.  "God  is  my  witness"  he 
repeated,  "that  I  am  laboring  for  my  people,  and  not 
for  myself  alone.  If  I  fail,  what  matters  my  pains?  if 
I  succeed,  what  matters  the  time?  "  He  passed  another 
month  propping  the  inside  of  the  well  with  wood,  and 
having  secured  his  work,  began  to  dig  anew. 

On  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  third  month,  Hafiz, 
urged  by  Halima,  determined  to  make  a  last  effort 

83 


ABDALLAH 

with  that  headstrong  nephew  who  continued  to  cher- 
ish a  foolish  hope  after  his  uncle  had  set  him  the 
example  of  wisdom  and  resignation.  To  preach  to 
Abdallah  was  not  an  easy  task ;  the  well  was  already 
thirty  cubits  deep,  and  the  workman  was  at  the  bot- 
tom. Hafiz  threw  himself  on  the  ground  and,  putting 
his  mouth  to  the  edge  of  the  hole,  shouted,  "You 
headstrong  child,  more  stubborn  than  a  mule,  have 
you  sworn  to  bury  yourself  in  this  accursed  well?" 

"Since  you  are  there,  uncle,"  answered  Abdallah, 
in  a  voice  which  seemed  to  come  from  the  bottomless 
pit,  "will  you  be  kind  enough  to  draw  up  the  pannier 
and  empty  it,  to  save  time?" 

"Unhappy  boy  "cried  Hafiz,  in  a  tone  more  of  anger 
than  of  pity,  "  have  you  forgotten  the  lessons  which 
I  gave  you  in  your  childhood?  Have  you  so  little 
respect  for  your  mother  and  me  that  you  persist  in 
afflicting  us?  Have  you  forgotten  the  beautiful  saying 
of  the  Koran,  'Whoso  is  preserved  from  the  covet- 
ousness  of  his  own  soul,  he  shall  surely  prosper '  ?  Do 
you  think  —  " 

"Father!  father!  "  cried  Abdallah,  "I  feel  moisture; 
the  water  is  coming;  I  hear  it.  Help!  draw  up  the 
pannier,  or  I  am  lost." 

Hafiz  sprang  to  the  rope,  and  well  it  was  for  him 
that  he  did  so,  for,  despite  all  his  haste,  he  brought 
up  his  nephew  covered  with  mud,  senseless,  and  half 
drowned.  The  water  was  rushing  and  boiling  up  in 
the  well.  Abdallah  soon  came  to  himself,  and  listened 
with  delight  to  the  rushing  of  the  water;  his  heart 

84 


ABDALLAH 

beat  violently,  and  Hafiz's  eyes  filled  with  tears.  Sud- 
denly the  noise  ceased.  Hafiz  lighted  a  handful  of  dry 
grass  and  threw  it  into  the  well,  and,  less  than  ten 
paces  from  the  surface,  he  saw  the  water  smooth  and 
glittering  as  steel.  To  lower  a  jug  and  draw  it  up 
again  was  the  work  of  an  instant.  The  water  was 
sweet.  Abdallah  fell  on  his  knees  and  bowed  his 
head  to  the  earth.  His  uncle  followed  his  example, 
then  rose,  embraced  his  nephew,  and  entreated  his 
pardon. 

Within  an  hour,  despite  the  heat  of  the  day,  the 
two  Bedouins  had  fixed  a  windlass  by  the  side  of  the 
spring,  furnished  with  earthen  buckets  and  turned  by 
two  oxen,  and  the  groaning  sakiah  poured  the  water 
upon  the  yellow  grass,  and  restored  to  the  earth  the 
freshness  of  spring. 

At  nightfall,  instead  of  going  to  the  watering-place, 
the  shepherds  stopped  with  their  flocks  at  the  spring, 
and  the  scoffers  of  the  night  before  glorified  Abdal- 
lah. "We  foresaw  it,"  said  the  elders.  "Happy  the 
mother  of  such  a  son!"  exclaimed  the  matrons. 
"Happy  the  wife  of  such  a  brave  and  handsome 
youth ! "  thought  the  maidens.  And  all  added, " Blessed 
be  the  servant  of  God  and  his  children's  children ! " 

When  the  tribe  was  assembled  together,  the  son 
of  Yusuf  filled  a  jug  with  water  as  cool  as  that  of  the 
well  of  Zemzem,1  and,  resting  it  on  his  arm,  offered 
it  first  to  his  mother,  and  then  to  each  of  the  others 

1  A  sacred  well  within  the  walls  of  the  temple  at  Mecca;  the  same, 
according  to  tradition,  which  gushed  forth  in  the  desert  at  the  com- 
mand of  the  angel  to  quench  the  thirst  of  Hagar  and  Ishmael. 

85 


ABDALLAH 

in  turn.  He  himself  was  the  last  to  drink.  As  he 
lifted  the  vessel  to  drain  it  to  the  bottom  he  felt 
something  cold  strike  his  lips.  It  was  a  bit  of  metal 
that  had  been  swept  along  by  the  spring. 

"  What  is  this,  my  uncle  ?  "  asked  he  of  Hafiz .  "  Does 
copper  thus  lie  hidden  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth?" 

"Oh,  my  son,  preserve  it;  it  is  the  choicest  of  treas- 
ures" cried  the  old  man.  "God  has  sent  you  the 
reward  of  your  courage  and  labor.  Do  you  not  see 
that  it  is  a  shamrock  leaf?  The  earth  itself  has  opened 
to  bring  you  from  its  depths  this  flower  of  Paradise. 
All  that  the  honest  son  of  Israel  told  us  is  true.  Hope, 
my  child,  hope !  Praise  God  the  Only,  the  Incompar- 
able, and  the  All-powerful!  He  alone  is  great!  " 


86' 


XI 


THE  GARDENS  OF  IREM 

ERDANT  gardens  watered  by  living 
springs,  boughs  laden  with  fruit, 
palm-trees,  pomegranates,  eternal 
shade,  —  such  is  the  paradise  which 
the  Book  of  Truth  promises  the  faith- 
ful. Abdallah  received  a  foretaste  of 
this  paradise  on  earth.  His  garden  in  a  few  years  was 
the  most  beautiful  spot  imaginable, — a  shady  and 
peaceful  retreat,  the  delight  of  the  eye  and  heart. 
White  clematis  twined  round  the  acacias  and  olive- 
trees,  hedges  of  myrtle  surrounded  the  dourah,  bar- 
ley, and  melon-beds  with  perpetual  verdure,  and  the 
cool  water,  flowing  through  numerous  trenches,  bathed 
the  foot  of  the  young  orange-trees.  Grapes,  bananas, 
apricots,  and  pomegranates  abounded  in  their  season, 
and  flowers  blossomed  all  the  year  round.  In  this 
happy  abode,  where  sadness  never  came,  the  rose,  the 
jasmine,  the  mint,  the  gray-eyed  narcissus,  the  worm- 
wood with  its  azure  blossoms  seemed  to  smile  on  the 
passer-by,  and  delighted  him  with  their  gentle  fra- 
grance when  his  eye  was  weary  of  admiring  their 


87 


ABDALLAH 

beauty.  What  thicket  escapes  the  piercing  eye  of  the 
bird?  These  friends  of  the  fruits  and  flowers  hastened 
thither  from  every  quarter  of  the  horizon.  One  would 
have  said  that  they  knew  the  hand  that  fed  them. 
In  the  morning,  when  Abdallah  quitted  his  tent  to 
spread  the  carpet  of  prayer  on  the  dew-bespangled 
grass,  the  sparrows  welcomed  him  with  joyful  cries, 
the  turtle-doves  cooed  more  tenderly  than  ever  from 
under  the  broad  fig-leaves,  the  bees  alighted  on  his 
head,  and  the  butterflies  fluttered  around  him ;  flowers, 
birds,  humming  insects,  and  murmuring  waters,  all 
things  living,  seemed  to  render  him  thanks ;  all  lifted 
up  Abdallah's  soul  toward  Him  who  had  given  him 
peace  and  plenty. 

It  was  not  for  himself  that  the  son  of  Yusuf  had 
desired  the  wealth  which  he  shared  with  his  friends. 
He  dug  a  deep  basin  at  the  bottom  of  the  garden, 
into  which  the  water  flowed  and  remained  cool  during 
the  summer  droughts.  The  birds,  fluttering  about  it, 
attracted  the  caravans  from  afar.  "What  water  is 
that?"  said  the  camel-drivers.  "During  all  the  years 
that  we  have  travelled  over  the  desert  we  have  never 
seen  this  cistern.  Have  we  mistaken  our  road?  We 
filled  our  skins  for  seven  days,  and  here  we  find  water 
on  the  third  day's  march.  Are  these  the  gardens  of 
Irem1  which  we  are  permitted  to  behold?  Has  God 

1  Sheddad,  the  King  of  Ad,  having  heard  of  Paradise  and  its  de- 
lights, undertook  to  build  a  palace  and  garden  which  should  rival  it 
in  magnificence.  A  terrible  voice  from  heaven  destroyed  this  monu- 
ment of  pride,  or  rather,  rendered  it  invisible,  for  a  certain  Ibn  Kela- 
bah  pretended  to  have  seen  it  during  the  reign  of  the  Calif  Moya- 
wiah.  The  gardens  of  Irem  are  celebrated  among  the  Arabs. 


ABDALLAH 

forgiven  the  presumptuous  monarch  who  undertook 
to  create  a  paradise  in  the  midst  of  the  desert  ?  " 

"No"  answered  Halima,  "these  are  not  the  gar- 
dens of  Irem.  What  you  behold  is  the  work  of  labor 
and  prayer.  God  has  blessed  my  son  Abdallah."  And 
the  well  was  called  the  Well  of  the  Benediction. 


XII 


THE  TWO  BROTHERS 

[HREE  things  are  the  delight  of  the 
eye,  says  the  proverb,— running  wa- 
ter, verdure,  and  beauty.  Halima  felt 
what  was  lacking  in  this  well-watered 
and  verdant  garden .  Again  and  again 
she  repeated  to  her  son  that  a  man 
should  not  suffer  his  father's  name  to  perish,  but 
Abdallah  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  her.  He  had  no  thought 
of  marriage ;  his  mind  was  elsewhere.  He  looked  con- 
tinually at  the  tiny  copper  leaf,  and  continually  asked 
himself  by  what  deed  of  valor  or  goodness  he  could 
please  God  and  obtain  the  only  boon  that  he  desired. 
Man's  heart  has  not  room  for  two  passions  at  the  same 
time. 

One  evening,  when  old  Hafiz  had  visited  his  sister, 
and  was  using  all  his  eloquence  to  persuade  this  wild 
colt  to  submit  to  the  bridle,  a  gun  fired  at  a  distance 
announced  the  arrival  of  a  caravan.  Abdallah  rose 
instantly  to  meet  the  strangers,  leaving  Halima  in 
despair  and  poor  Hafiz  confounded.  He  soon  returned, 
bringing  with  him  a  man  still  in  his  youth,  but  already 


90 


ABDALLAH 

fat  and  corpulent.  The  stranger  bowed  to  Hafiz  and 
Halima,  gazed  at  them  earnestly,  then,  fixing  his 
small  eyes  on  the  Bedouin,  "  Is  not  this  the  tribe  of  the 
Beni  Amurs"  he  asked,  "and  am  I  not  in  the  tent  of 
Abdallah,  the  son  of  Yusuf?" 

"It  is  Abdallah  that  has  the  honor  of  welcoming 
you"  answered  the  young  man;  "all  that  is  here 
belongs  to  your  lordship." 

"What!"  cried  the  new-comer,  "have  ten  years' 
absence  so  changed  me  that  I  am  a  stranger  in  this 
dwelling?  Has  Abdallah  forgotten  his  brother?  Has 
my  mother  but  one  son?" 

The  meeting  was  a  joyful  one  after  so  long  a  sepa- 
ration. Abdallah  embraced  Omar  again  and  again,  and 
Halima  kissed  first  one  and  then  the  other,  while 
Hafiz  whispered  to  himself  that  man  is  a  wicked  ani- 
mal. To  suspect  the  son  of  Mansour  of  ingratitude 
was  a  crime,  but  how  often  had  this  crime  been  com- 
mitted by  the  old  shepherd. 

The  repast  finished  and  the  pipes  brought,  Omar 
took  up  the  conversation.  "  How  delighted  I  am  to 
see  you !  "  said  he,  tenderly  clasping  his  brother's  hand  ; 
"and  the  more  so  that  I  come  to  do  you  a  service." 

"  Speak,  brother !  "  said  the  son  of  Yusuf.  "  Having 
nothing  to  hope  or  fear  except  from  God,  I  know  not 
what  service  you  can  render  me;  but  danger  often 
draws  near  us  without  our  knowledge,  and  nothing 
is  quicker  than  the  eye  of  a  friend." 

"  It  is  not  danger,  but  fortune  that  is  in  question," 
returned  the  son  of  Mansour.  "  Behold  what  brought 

91 


ABDALLAH 

me  hither.  I  come  from  Taif,  whither  I  had  been 
summoned  by  the  grand  sherif.  'Omar,'  said  he  to 
me,  'I  know  you  to  be  the  richest  and  most  prudent 
merchant  of  Djiddah;  you  are  known  throughout  the 
desert,  where  there  is  not  a  tribe  that  does  not  respect 
your  name,  or  is  not  ready,  at  the  sight  of  your  sig- 
net, to  furnish  camels  to  transport  your  merchandise, 
or  brave  men  to  defend  it.  For  this  reason,  I  have 
conceived  a  high  esteem  for  you,  and  it  is  to  give  you 
a  proof  of  it  that  I  have  summoned  you  hither.' 

"I  bowed  respectfully  and  awaited  the  pleasure  of 
the  sherif,  who  stroked  his  beard  a  long  time  before 
proceeding.  'The  Pacha  of  Egypt ",  said  he  at  last,  in 
a  hesitating  manner,  '  the  Pacha  of  Egypt,  who  prizes 
my  friendship  as  I  prize  his,  has  sent  me  a  slave  who 
will  be  the  gem  of  my  harem,  and  whom,  through 
respect  for  the  hand  that  chose  her,  I  can  receive 
only  as  a  wife.  The  pacha  does  me  an  honor  which  I 
accept  with  gratitude,  though  I  am  old,  and  at  my 
age,  having  already  a  wife  whom  I  love,  it  would 
have  been  wiser  not  to  risk  the  peace  of  my  house- 
hold. But  this  slave  has  not  yet  arrived,  and  it  is  to 
conduct  her  hither  that  I  need  your  prudence  and 
skill.  She  can  not  land  in  Djiddah,  which  is  under 
Turkish  rule,  and  must  therefore  go  to  Yambo,  in  my 
dominions.  The  way  is  long  from  Yambo  to  Taif, 
and  the  wandering  hordes  and  haughty  tribes  of  the 
desert  do  not  always  respect  my  name.  It  does  not 
suit  me  to  make  war  on  them  at  present,  neither  is  it 
fitting  that  I  should  expose  myself  to  insult.  I  am  in 

92 


ABDALLAH 

need,  therefore,  of  a  wise  and  sagacious  man  to  go  to 
Yambo  for  me  as  if  on  his  own  behalf.  You  can  easily 
make  the  journey,  and  no  one  will  be  surprised  at  it. 
What  is  more  natural  than  that  you  should  go  to  meet 
a  valuable  cargo,  and  who  would  attack  you,  a  simple 
merchant,  in  a  country  where  you  have  so  many 
friends  and  resources?' 

"Thus  spoke  the  sherif.  I  sought  to  decline  the 
dangerous  favor,  but  was  met  with  a  terrible  look. 
The  displeasure  of  a  prince  is  like  the  roar  of  a  lion ; 
to  incense  him  is  to  rush  into  his  jaws.  I  resigned 
myself  to  what  I  could  not  help .  '  Commander  of  the 
Faithful,'  I  replied,  'it  is  true  that  God  has  blessed 
my  efforts,  and  that  I  have  a  few  friends  in  the  desert. 
It  is  for  thee  to  command;  speak,  and  I  obey.'" 

"That  is  well,"  said  Abdallah;  "there  is  peril  to 
brave  and  glory  to  win." 

"It  is  for  this  reason  that  I  have  come  to  thee" 
resumed  the  son  of  Mansour.  "With  whom  should  I 
share  this  noble  enterprise  if  not  with  thee,  my 
brother,  the  bravest  of  the  brave;  if  not  with  the 
wise  and  prudent  Hafiz ;  if  not  with  the  bold  com- 
rades? The  Bedouins  on  the  road  have  never  seen 
me — they  only  know  my  name;  and,  besides,  instead 
of  defending  my  caravan,  they  might  plunder  it,  as 
they  have  done  more  than  once ;  but  if  thou  art  there 
with  thy  followers,  they  will  think  twice  before  attack- 
ing it.  To  thee,  therefore,  it  belongs  to  conduct  the 
affair,— to  thee  will  revert  all  the  honor  thereof.  Thou 
seest  that  I  speak  with  perfect  frankness.  As  for  me, 

93 


ABDALLAH 

I  am  only  a  merchant;  them  art  a  man  of  thought 
and  action.  It  is  said  in  the  desert  that  I  am  rich 
and  fond  of  money, — a  reputation  which  is  a  peril 
rather  than  an  aid ;  thou,  on  the  contrary,  art  respected 
and  dreaded.  The  name  of  the  son  of  Yusuf  is  a 
power ;  his  presence  is  worth  an  army.  Without  thee 
I  can  do  nothing;  with  thee  I  am  sure  of  succeeding 
in  an  adventure  in  which  my  head  is  at  stake.  Am  I 
wrong  in  relying  on  thee?" 

"No"  said  Abdallah;  "we  are  links  of  one  chain; 
woe  to  him  who  breaks  it !  We  will  set  out  to-morrow, 
and,  happen  what  may,  thou  shalt  find  me  by  thy 
side.  A  brother  is  born  for  evil  days." 


XIII 


THE   CARAVAN 

| HE  same  evening  everything  was  in 
readiness  for  departure,— the  skin 
filled,  the  provisions  prepared,  the 
bundles  of  hay  counted,  and  the  har- 
ness examined.  Abdallah  chose  the 
surest  camels  and  the  most  experi- 
enced drivers.  Nor  was  this  all:  he  engaged  twelve 
young  men,  brave  companions  of  tried  courage  who 
laughed  at  fatigue  and  war.  Who  would  not  have 
been  proud  of  following  the  son  of  Yusuf  ?  His  glance 
commanded  respect,  his  words  went  to  the  heart. 
With  sabre  always  drawn  and  hand  always  open,  he 
was  the  boldest  of  leaders  and  the  tenderest  of  friends. 
Beside  him  men  were  as  tranquil  as  the  hawk  in  the 
cloud,  or  death  in  the  tomb.  On  his  part,  Hafiz 
passed  a  sleepless  night.  To  clean  the  guns,  try  the 
powder,  run  the  bullets,  and  sharpen  the  sabres  and 
daggers,  was  work  to  his  taste,  a  pleasure  that  he 
yielded  to  no  one. 

As  soon  as  the  stars  began  to  pale,  the  caravan  set 
out  on  its  way,  with  Abdallah  at  the  head  by  the  side 


ABDALLAH 

of  Omar,  and  Hafiz  in  the  rear,  watching  everything, 
and  throwing  out  timely  words  of  fault-finding  or 
praise.  The  camels  walked  slowly  in  single  file,  accom- 
panied by  their  leaders  chanting  the  songs  of  the  des- 
ert. In  the  midst  of  the  band  proudly  marched  a 
magnificent  dromedary,  with  a  slender  head,  of  the 
Oman  breed,  covered  with  gold,  silver  and  shining 
plumes,  and  bearing  a  litter  hung  with  velvet  and 
brocade,— the  equipage  of  the  new  favorite.  The 
silver-pommelled  saddles,  Damascus  blades,  and  black 
burnoose  embroidered  with  gold,  of  twelve  riders 
mounted  on  fine  horses,  glittered  in  the  first  beams 
of  the  sun. 

Next  came  Abdallah's  mare,  led  by  a  servant .  Noth- 
ing could  be  imagined  more  beautiful  than  this  mare, 
the  glory  of  the  tribe,  and  the  despair  and  envy  of  all 
the  Bedouins.  She  was  called  Hamama,  the  Dove, 
because  she  was  as  snowy,  gentle  and  fleet  as  this 
queen  of  the  forests. 

Abdallah,  dressed  like  a  simple  cam  el -driver,  and 
armed  with  a  long  iron-headed  staff,  walked  on  foot 
by  the  side  of  Omar,  who  was  seated  tranquilly  on  his 
mule.  They  were  among  friends,  and  had  nothing  to 
fear,  so  that  the  brothers  could  talk  at  length  of  the 
past.  When  the  sun  darted  its  vertical  rays  on  their 
heads,  and  the  scorching  air  enervated  man  and  beast, 
the  son  of  Yusuf  took  his  place  by  the  side  of  the  first 
camel-driver,  and  in  a  grave  and  solemn  voice  chanted 
one  of  those  hymns  of  the  desert  which  beguile  the 
lonely  way,  to  the  praise  of  God. 

96 


ABDALLAH 

God  alone  is  great ! 
Who  maketh  the  earth  to  tremble? 

Who  launcheth  the  thunderbolt  through  the  burning  air? 
Who  giveth  the  sands  to  the  fury  of  the  simoom? 
Who  causeth  the  torrent  to  gush  forth  from  its  arid  bed? 
His  name?  hearest  thou  it  not  in  the  whirlwind? 

God  alone  is  great ! 

God  alone  is  great ! 

Who  calleth  the  storm  from  the  depths  of  the  sea? 
Who  causeth  the  rain  and  clouds  to  give  way  before  the  sun  : 
Who  forceth  the  hungry  wave  to  lick  the  strand? 
His  name?  the  wind  murmureth  it  in  its  flight  to  the  dying 
wave: 

God  alone  is  great ! 

Oh,  the  power  of  the  divine  name !  At  the  sound 
of  these  praises  the  very  brutes  forgot  their  fatigue 
and  marched  with  a  firm  tread;  the  camel-drivers 
raised  their  heads ;  all  refreshed  themselves  with  these 
words  as  a  running  brook.  It  is  the  strength  of  the 
soul  that  gives  energy  to  the  body,  and  for  the  soul 
there  is  no  strength  but  in  God. 

Thus  passed  the  first  day.  The  next  day  some  pre- 
cautions were  taken ;  Hafiz  went  in  advance  as  a  scout ; 
they  set  out  as  soon  as  the  moon  had  risen,  marched 
in  silence,  and  stopped  earlier  than  the  day  before, 
but  saw  no  one.  The  succeeding  days  also  passed 
quietly,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  nine  days'  march 
they  saw  at  last  the  walls  and  towers  of  Yambo. 


97 


XIV 


|HE  caravan  made  a  short  stay  in  the 
city;  the  brig  that  brought  the  slave 
had  arrived  the  night  before,  and 
Omar  was  in  haste  to  return  in  peace 
to  Djiddah.  The  camels  rested;  they 
took  the  way  to  the  desert.  They 
received  the  sultana  at  the  water's  edge.  A  flat-boat 
put  off  from  the  ship  with  two  women  wrapped  in 
habarahs,  or  large  mantles  of  black  taffeta,  and  their 
faces  shrouded,  all  but  the  eyes,  in  bourkos,  or  white 
muslin  veils  that  fell  to  the  feet.  Omar  received  the 
strangers  with  a  respectful  bow,  and  led  them  to  the 
equipage  that  awaited  them.  The  dromedary  knelt 
down  at  the  voice  of  Abdallah.  One  of  the  women 
slowly  mounted  the  palanquin  and  seated  herself, 
gracefully  drawing  the  folds  of  her  robe  about  her; 
the  other  approached  with  equal  gravity,  but  sud- 
denly snatching  off  her  mantle  and  veil,  she  threw 
them  over  Omar's  head,  twisting  the  muslin  around 
his  face,  and  almost  smothering  him;  then,  putting 
one  foot  on  the  camel's  neck,  she  leaped  on  his  back 


ABDALLAH 

like  a  cat,  grimacing  like  an  ape  at  the  astonished 
Bedouins,  and  shouting  with  laughter. 

"Cafour,  you  shall  be  whipped"  cried  the  veiled 
lady,  who  had  much  ado  to  preserve  her  gravity ;  but 
Cafour  did  not  believe  her  mistress's  threats,  and  con- 
tinued to  laugh  and  grimace  at  Omar  as  soon  as  his 
head  emerged  from  the  coverings.  The  son  of  Mansour 
at  last  threw  off  the  heap  of  silk  under  which  he  had 
been  buried,  and  raised  his  head  angrily  toward  the 
creature  that  had  insulted  him;  but  what  was  his 
astonishment  to  see  a  smile  on  the  faces  of  the  grave 
Bedouins  and  Abdallah  himself.  All  shrugged  their 
shoulders  as  they  pointed  to  his  enemy.  He  looked, 
and  saw  a  little  negro  girl  of  surpassing  ugliness.  A 
round  flat  face,  with  small  eyes,  the  whites  of  which 
were  scarcely  visible,  a  flat  nose  sunken  below  the 
cheeks,  wide  nostrils  from  which  hung  a  silver  ring 
that  fell  below  the  mouth,  enormous  lips,  teeth  as 
white  as  those  of  a  young  dog,  and  a  chin  tattooed 
blue, —  such  was  the  charming  face  of  the  damsel.  To 
add  to  her  ugliness,  she  was  loaded  with  jewels  like 
an  idol.  On  the  crown  of  her  head  was  a  plume  of 
parrot's  feathers.  The  thick  wool  that  covered  her 
head  was  parted  in  little  tresses  ornamented  with 
sequins ;  her  ears  were  pierced  like  a  sieve,  and  hung 
with  rings  of  every  shape  and  size ;  a  broad  necklace 
of  blue  enamel  encircled  her  neck,  and  her  arm  was 
covered  from  the  wrist  to  the  elbow  with  seven  or 
eight  bracelets  of  coral,  amber,  and  filigree  work; 
lastly,  she  wore  on  each  ankle  a  prodigious  silver  band. 

99 


ABDALLAH 

Such  was  Cafour,   the  delight  of  her  mistress,  the 
beautiful  Leila. 

Full  license  is  given  fools,  the  favorites  of  God, 
whose  soul  is  in  heaven  while  their  body  drags  on  the 
earth.  The  whole  caravan,  therefore,  except  Omar, 
who  still  bore  her  a  grudge,  took  a  liking  to  the  poor 
negress.  It  was  but  too  evident  that  she  had  not  her 
reason;  she  talked  and  laughed  continually;  her 
tongue  spared  nobody,  and  her  judgments  were  insane. 
For  instance,  she  gazed  long  at  the  son  of  Mansour, 
who,  half  reclining  on  his  mule,  marched  by  the  side 
of  the  litter,  surrounded  by  his  slaves,  slowly  smoking 
Persian  tobacco  in  his  jasmine  pipe.  One  of  the  ser- 
vants having  filled  the  pipe  too  full,  he  dealt  him  a 
box  on  the  ear.  "Mistress"  cried  Cafour,  "do  you  see 
that  old  man  buried  in  a  cushion,  with  his  feet  in 
slippers?  He  is  a  Jew,  mistress;  beware  of  him;  he 
would  beat  us  for  a  douro,  and  sell  us  for  a  sequin." 
Leila  laughed,  while  Omar  flew  into  a  passion  and 
threatened  the  negress.  To  style  a  man  who  counted 
his  piastres  by  millions  an  old  man  and  a  Jew  was 
indeed  the  act  of  an  idiot.  What  person  in  his  right 
mind  would  have  dared  to  talk  thus?  It  was  soon  the 
turn  of  Abdallah,  who  was  reviewing  the  caravan. 
He  had  put  on  his  war-dress,  and  every  one  admired 
the  grace  of  the  young  chief.  His  white  burnoose 
floated  in  long  folds ;  his  Damascus  pistols  and  silver- 
hilted  cangiar  glittered  in  his  belt;  and  a  red  and 
yellow  silk  turban  overshadowed  his  eyes,  and  added 
to  the  fierceness  of  his  glance.  How  beautiful  he 

100 


ABDALLAH 

was !  All  hearts  went  out  toward  him,  and  his  very 
mare  seemed  proud  of  carrying  such  a  master. 
Hamama  tossed  her  serpentine  head  and  reed-like 
ears ;  her  dilated  nostrils  breathed  forth  fire ;  on  seeing 
her  start,  vault,  stop  short,  and  bound  forward,  it 
seemed  as  if  she  and  her  rider  were  but  one.  As  the 
son  of  Yusuf  paused  near  the  litter,  a  camel-driver 
could  not  help  saying  to  Cafour,  "Look,  child;  do  you 
see  such  beauty  among  your  coarse  Egyptians  or  in 
your  Maghreb  ?  " 

"Look,  mistress"  cried  the  negress,  leaning  over 
the  camel's  neck ;  "  see  these  fine  clothes,  elegant  air, 
tapering  fingers,  and  cast-down  eyes!  Pretty  bird, 
why  don't  you  look  at  us?"  said  she  to  Abdallah. 
"Oh,  I  know;  it  is  a  woman  in  disguise, —  the  virgin 
of  the  tribe.  Driver,  tell  him  to  come  up  here;  he 
belongs  here  with  us." 

"Silence,  infidel!"  exclaimed  Abdallah,  losing  his 
patience.  "Must  you  have  a  ring  through  your  lips  to 
stop  your  serpent's  tongue?" 

"It  is  a  woman"  said  Cafour,  laughing  loudly;  "a 
man  does  not  avenge  himself  by  insults.  Come,  women 
are  made  to  love  each  other.  You  are  handsome,  and 
so  am  I,  but  my  mistress  is  the  handsomest  of  the 
three.  Look!" 

The  eye  is  quicker  than  the  thought.  Abdallah 
raised  his  eyes  to  the  litter.  Cafour  playfully  laid 
hold  of  her  mistress's  veil ;  the  frightened  Leila  drew 
back;  the  string  broke;  and  the  bourko  fell.  Leila 
uttered  a  cry  and  covered  her  face  with  one  hand, 

101 


ABD ALLAH 

while  with  the  other  she  boxed  the  ears  of  the  negress, 
who  began  to  cry.  The  whole  passed  like  a  flash  of 
lightning. 

"  How  beautiful  she  is ! "  thought  the  son  of  Mansour . 
"  I  must  have  her." 

"Glory  to  Him  who  created  her,  and  created  her 
so  perfect !  "  murmured  the  son  of  Yusuf. 

Who  can  tell  the  pain  and  pleasure  that  a  moment 
can  contain?  Who  can  tell  how  this  fleeting  vision 
entered  and  filled  Abdallah's  soul?  The  caravan  went 
on,  but  the  Bedouin  remained  motionless.  Leila  had 
hidden  herself  in  her  veil,  yet  a  woman  stood  smiling 
before  the  son  of  Yusuf.  He  closed  his  eyes,  yet, 
despite  himself,  he  saw  a  brow  as  white  as  ivory, 
cheeks  as  blooming  as  the  tulip,  and  tresses  blacker 
than  ebony  falling  on  a  gazelle-like  neck,  like  the 
date  branch  laden  with  golden  fruit.  A  pair  of  lips 
like  a  thread  of  scarlet  parted  to  call  him ;  a  pair  of 
large  eyes  gazed  at  him, —  eyes  surrounded  with  a 
bluish  ring,  and  sparkling  with  a  lustre  softer  than 
that  of  the  violet  moist  with  dew.  Abdallah  felt  his 
heart  escaping  him;  he  buried  his  face  in  his  hands 
and  burst  into  tears. 

The  caravan  continued  its  march,  and  old  Hafiz 
soon  found  himself  by  the  side  of  his  nephew.  Aston- 
ished at  the  silence  and  inaction  of  the  young  chief, 
he  approached  him,  and  touching  his  arm,  "Something 
new  has  happened,  has  there  not  ?  "  he  asked . 

Abdallah  started  and  recovering  himself  like  a  man 
aroused  from  a  dream,  "Yes,  my  father"  he  answered 

in  a  dejected  tone. 

102 


ABDALLAH 

"The  enemy  is  at  hand!  "  cried  Hafiz,  with  spark- 
ling eyes;  "you  have  seen  him!  Glory  to  God,  our 
guns  are  about  to  speak !  " 

"No  one  threatens  us;  the  danger  is  not  there." 
"What  is  the  matter,  then,  my  son!"  said  the  old 
man,  anxiously.    "Are  you  sick?    Have  you  a  fever? 
You  know  that  I  am  skilled  in  the  art  of  healing." 
"That  is  not  it;  at  our  first  halt  I  will  tell  you  all." 
"You  frighten  me"  said   Hafiz;  "if  it  is  neither 
danger  nor  sickness  that  disturbs  you,  some  evil  pas- 
sion must  be  troubling  your  soul !    Take  care,  my  son! 
With  God's  aid  the  foe  is  defeated,  and  with  God's  aid 
sickness  is  cured;  there  is  but  one  enemy  against 
which  there  is  no  defence,  and  that  enemy  is  our  own 
heart." 


103 


XV 


THE  SULTAN  OF  CANDAHAR 

|HEN  the  caravan  halted,  Abdallah 
took  his  uncle  aside.  Hafiz  seated 
himself  on  his  carpet  and  began  to 
smoke,  without  uttering  a  word.  The 
young  chief,  wrapped  in  his  cloak, 
stretched  himself  on  the  ground,  and 
long  remained  motionless.  Suddenly  he  started  up, 
and  kissing  the  old  man's  hand,  "  My  uncle,"  said  he, 
"I  implore  the  protection  of  God.  What  God  wills 
must  come;  there  is  no  strength  nor  power  but  in 
him."  And  in  an  agitated  voice,  he  related  the  vision 
which  had  troubled  him. 

"Oh,  my  son"  said  the  shepherd,  with  a  sigh,  "thou 
art  punished  for  not  hearkening  to  our  words.  Happy 
is  he  who  chooses  a  virtuous  and  obedient  wife  from 
among  his  tribe,  with  the  sole  desire  of  perpetuating 
the  name  of  his  father!  Woe  to  him  who  suffers  his 
soul  to  be  taken  in  the  snares  of  a  strange  woman ! 
Can  anything  good  come  out  of  Egypt?  All  the  women 
there,  since  Joseph's  time,  have  been  dissolute  and 
treacherous,— worthy  daughters  of  Zuleika!  "l 
1  The  name  given  by  the  Arabs  to  Potipharfe  wife. 
104 


ABDALLAH 

"Treachery  had  naught  to  do  with  it,  my  uncle; 
it  was  wholly  the  work  of  chance." 

"Do  not  believe  it,  my  nephew;  there  is  no  such 
tiling  as  chance  with  these  cunning  fishers  for  men's 
hearts,  who  spread  their  nets  everywhere." 

"She  loves  me,  then !  "  exclaimed  the  youth,  start- 
ing up;  "but  no,  my  uncle,  you  are  mistaken.  In 
two  days  we  shall  be  at  Taif ;  in  two  days  we  shall  be 
separated  forever,  yet  I  feel  that  I  shall  always  love 
her ! " 

"  Yes,  you  will  love  her,  but  she  will  forget  you  for 
the  first  jewel  from  the  hand  of  her  new  master.  Your 
heart  serves  her  as  a  plaything;  when  the  whim  of 
the  moment  has  passed,  she  will  break  it  without 
remorse.  Have  you  forgotten  what  the  Koran  says 
of  that  imperfect  and  capricious  being  who  is  brought 
up  among  ornaments  and  jewels?  'The  reason  of 
women  is  folly,  and  their  religion  love.  Like  the 
flowers,  they  are  the  delight  of  the  eyes  and  the  joy 
of  the  senses,  but  they  are  poisoned  blossoms.  Woe 
to  him  who  draws  near  them !  he  will  soon  have  a 
winding-sheet  for  his  raiment ! '  Believe  in  my  experi- 
ence ;  I  have  seen  more  families  destroyed  by  women 
than  by  war.  The  more  generous  a  man  is,  the  greater 
is  his  danger.  Do  you  not  know  the  story  of  the  Sultan 
of  Candahar,  who  was  a  true  believer,  though  he  lived 
in  the  days  of  ignorance  before  the  coming  of  Moham- 
med, and  a  sage,  though  he  sat  on  a  throne.  He 
undertook  to  gather  together  all  the  maxims  of  human 
prudence,  in  order  to  leave  to  his  children  an  inherit- 

105 


ABDALLAH 

ance  worthy  of  him.  With  this  end,  the  philosophers 
of  the  Indies  had  written  a  library,  which  the  sultan 
took  with  him  everywhere,  and  which  ten  camels 
scarce  sufficed  to  carry.  'Reduce  all  this  science  to 
first  principles,'  said  he.  It  was  done,  and  but  a 
camel's  load  remained.  This  was  still  too  much.  A 
number  of  aged  Brahmins,  chosen  by  the  king,  reduced 
this  abridgment  of  long  experience  first  to  ten  vol- 
umes, then  to  five,  and  then  to  a  single  one,  which 
was  offered  to  the  sultan  in  a  box  of  velvet  and  gold. 
The  prince  had  reigned  long,  and  life  had  few  secrets 
from  him.  He  took  the  book,  and  began  to  blot  out 
all  that  was  self-evident  and  therefore  unnecessary. 
'What  is  the  danger  that  threatens  my  sons? '  thought 
he.  'Not  avarice,  for  that  is  the  malady  of  the  old; 
nor  ambition,  for  that  is  the  virtue  of  princes.  I  will 
strike  out  all  this.'  But  at  last  he  came  to  a  more  vio- 
lent passion.  He  was  so  forcibly  struck  by  the  truth 
of  an  adage  that  he  threw  the  book  into  the  fire,  and 
bequeathed  this  maxim  alone  to  his  children,  calling 
it  the  key  to  the  treasure  of  life :  All  women  are 
false, — above  all,  the  one  that  loves  thee ! '  Such  was 
the  adage.  Wouldst  thou,  my  son,  be  more  prudent 
than  this  infidel,  more  enlightened  than  Solomon,  or 
wiser  than  the  Prophet?  No ;  believe  me,  the  beauty 
of  woman  is  like  the  scabbard  of  the  sabre,— a  glit- 
tering covering  that  hides  death.  Do  not  go  to  meet 
thy  destruction.  Think  of  God,  preserve  thyself  for 
thy  old  and  true  friends,  and  if  more  is  needed  to 
move  thee,  have  pity  on  thy  mother  and  old  Hafiz." 

106 


ABDALLAH 

"Thou  art  right"  said  Abdallah,  sadly,  as  he 
stretched  himself  on  the  ground,  with  his  burnoose 
for  a  pillow.  For  the  first  time  he  did  not  believe  his 
uncle's  words;  for  the  first  time,  too,  the  four-leaved 
shamrock  was  forgotten. 


107 


XVI 


THE  ATTACK 

|IGHT  is  an  antidote  to  fatigue  and  a 
poison  to  sorrow.  The  son  of  Yusuf 
rose  with  a  mind  more  diseased  than 
the  night  before.  Struck  with  incur- 
able madness,  he  no  longer  felt  him- 
self the  master  of  his  will  or  his 
movements;  it  was  the  delirium  of  fever,  the  dejec- 
tion of  despair.  Despite  himself,  the  fatal  litter 
attracted  him ;  he  hastened  to  it,  then  turned  and  fled, 
pursued  by  those  terrible  yet  charming  eyes.  If  he 
saw  from  afar  a  horseman  approaching  the  palanquin ; 
if  the  son  of  Mansour  turned  toward  the  two  women, 
—  he  spurred  on  his  horse  as  if  about  to  attack  an 
enemy,  then  suddenly  paused,  daring  neither  to  draw 
back  nor  advance.  The  whole  morning  he  tortured 
his  horse.  Panting  and  covered  with  foam,  Hamama 
bounded  forward  under  the  spur  which  tore  her  sides, 
astonished  at  not  understanding  her  master  and  shar- 
ing his  madness. 

The  shepherd  cast  withering  glances  toward  the 
litter.    Leila  had  thrown  herself  back  in  the  corner, 


108 


ABDALLAH 

and  covered  her  head  with  her  veil,  and  no  one  was 
to  be  seen  but  Cafour,  spiritless  and  mute  as  a  wet 
bird.  More  tranquil  in  this  respect,  Hafiz  turned  to 
look  for  his  nephew,  and  saw  him  wandering  at  ran- 
dom in  the  desert.  Everything  around  him  betrayed 
a  diseased  mind.  Hafiz  spurred  his  horse  toward 
Abdallah .  "  Cheer  up ,  my  nephew !  "  he  cried .  "  Cour- 
age! We  are  men  in  order  to  suffer;  we  are  Mussul- 
mans in  order  to  submit  to  fate." 

"I  am  stifling"  answered  the  youth;  "I  am  con- 
quered by  the  malady  that  is  preying  upon  me.  Any- 
thing, anything,  my  uncle,  rather  than  what  I  suffer! 
Let  danger  come;  let  the  enemy  draw  near!  I  wish 
to  fight  and  to  die !  " 

"Mad  wishes  and  guilty  words"  replied  the  old 
man,  sternly.  "God  is  the  master  of  life  and  death. 
Beware  lest  he  grant  thy  prayer;  it  is  sufficient  pun- 
ishment that  God  should  give  us  what  we  ask  him  in 
our  folly.  What  is  that?  "  he  added,  leaping  from  his 
horse,  and  carefully  examining  the  ground.  "These 
are  the  prints  of  horses'  feet;  there  are  no  camels 
among  them.  An  armed  band  has  passed  this  way. 
The  marks  are  fresh ;  the  enemy  is  not  far  off.  Do 
you  not  feel  that  your  passion  is  destroying  us?  You, 
our  leader,  have  noticed  nothing ;  you  are  leading  us 
to  death." 

The  two  companions  looked  about  them,  but  saw 
nothing  but  the  desert.  They  were  passing  through 
a  desolate  country.  The  road  wound  among  prodig- 
ious blocks  of  reddish  granite,  strewed  over  the  sands 

109 


ABDALLAH 

like  crumbling  ruins.  The  earth  was  full  of  gaping 
crevices,  the  beds  of  dried-up  torrents  and  deep  caves, 
—  graves  opened  for  the  traveller.  There  was  not  a 
bird  in  the  air,  not  a  gazelle  in  the  distance,  not  a 
black  speck  in  the  horizon ;  with  a  steel-like  sky  above 
their  heads,  and  the  silence  of  death  around  them, 
attacked  there,  their  only  hope  was  in  their  sabres 
and  God. 

Hafiz  ran  to  the  head  of  the  caravan.  Each  one  fell 
in  line  and  was  as  silent  as  in  a  night -march ;  naught 
was  to  be  heard  but  the  crackling  of  the  sand  under 
the  feet  of  the  camels.  After  an  hour's  march — an 
hour  which  seemed  interminable  —  they  reached  a  hill 
which  it  was  necessary  to  turn.  Hafiz  went  in  advance; 
he  ascended  the  hill,  and  leaving  his  horse  halfway 
from  the  top,  crept  on  his  belly  among  the  rocks. 
After  gazing  long,  he  noiselessly  descended,  put  his 
horse  to  the  gallop,  and  reached  Abdallah's  side,  his 
face  as  calm  as  at  his  departure.  "There  are  white 
tents  in  the  distance"  said  he.  "They  are  not  Bedouins, 
but  Arnauts  from  Djiddah.  They  are  numerous,  and 
are  awaiting  us;  we  have  been  betrayed.  No  mat- 
ter; we  will  sell  our  skin  more  dearly  than  they  will 
care  to  buy  it.  Forward,  my  son,  and  do  your 
duty ! "  And  calling  six  of  the  bravest  of  the  com- 
pany, Hafiz  loaded  his  gun  and  again  took  the  way  to 
the  height. 

Abdallah  had  just  reached  the  head  of  the  column 
when  a  white  smoke  appeared  from  a  rock,  a  bullet 
whizzed  through  the  air,  and  a  camel  fell.  Great 

110 


ABDALLAH 

confusion  instantly  prevailed  in  the  caravan ;  the  camels 
fell  back,  rushing  against  and  overthrowing  each  other; 
the  drivers  fled  to  the  rear,  and  the  horsemen  rushed 
to  the  front.  It  seemed  like  a  forest  shaken  by  the 
wind.  The  moans  of  the  camels  and  neighing  of  the 
horses  mingled  with  the  shouts  of  the  men.  In  the 
disorder  a  handful  of  robbers,  whose  red  vests,  white 
drawers,  and  broad  girdles  easily  showed  them  to  be 
Arnauts,  fell  upon  the  litter  and  hurried  it  away  with 
shouts  of  joy.  It  was  in  vain  that  Abdallah  and  his 
friends  attempted  to  charge  on  them;  the  sharp- 
shooters in  ambush  felled  them  on  the  way.  Thrice 
Abdallah  spurred  his  horse  against  his  invisible  foe; 
thrice  he  was  forced  to  return,  his  comrades  falling 
around  him. 

Abdallah  trembled  with  rage;  by  his  side,  and  not 
less  excited,  was  Omar,  rending  his  clothes, —  Omar, 
whose  passion  made  him  forget  all  prudence,  and  who 
thought  of  nothing  but  the  treasure  that  was  snatched 
from  him.  "Forward,  my  brother!"  he  cried.  Both 
were  reining  up  their  horses  for  a  last  effort,  when 
several  musket-shots  followed  each  other  rapidly. 
The  Arnauts  had  forgotten  old  Hafiz,  who  suddenly 
came  upon  them  from  above,  and  shot  them  down 
without  pity. 

The  road  clear,  the  brothers  rushed  forward,  fol- 
lowed by  Hafiz.  "Gently,  my  son !  "  cried  he  to  Abdal- 
lah. "Spare  your  horse;  we  have  time." 

"Where  is  Leila,  my  uncle?  They  are  carrying  her 
off;  she  is  lost." 

Ill 


ABDALLAH 

"Old  fool"  said  Omar,  "do  you  think  that  these 
robbers  will  wait  for  us?  Twenty  douros  to  him  who 
brings  down  the  dromedary !  " 

One  of  the  Bedouins  raised  his  gun,  and  taking 
aim,  fired,  at  the  risk  of  killing  the  two  women.  The 
shot  struck  the  shoulder  of  the  animal,  which  fell 
with  his  precious  burden. 

"Well  done,  young  man"  said  Hafiz,  sarcastically, 
to  the  Bedouin.  "The  Arnauts  will  thank  you;  you 
have  rid  them  of  the  only  obstacle  to  their  flight. 
Now  the  sultana  is  lost." 

Hafiz  had  judged  but  too  rightly.  The  robbers  sur- 
rounded the  litter  and  tore  from  it  a  woman  wrapped 
in  a  mantle,  in  whom  Abdallah  recognized  Leila ;  then, 
by  the  command  of  a  magnificently  dressed  chief,  a 
man  took  her  behind  him  and  set  off  at  full  gallop. 
At  this  sight  the  son  of  Yusuf  darted  upon  the  enemy 
like  an  eagle  from  the  clouds.  "Dog!  son  of  a  dog!  " 
he  cried,  "show  your  face,  if  you  are  a  man!  Is  it  to 
fly  the  better  that  you  have  so  fine  a  horse?"  And 
he  fired  his  pistol  at  him. 

"Wait,  son  of  a  Jew!"  said  the  captain,  turning 
round;  "my  sabre  is  thirsting  for  your  blood." 

"Forward,  children  of  powder!"  cried  old  Hafiz. 
"Charge,  my  sons!  death  before  disgrace!  Charge! 
Bullets  do  not  kill.  What  is  to  be,  will  be,  according 
to  God's  will." 

Abdallah  and  the  Arnaut  rushed  upon  each  other 
at  full  speed.  The  captain  advanced  with  a  pistol  in 
one  hand  and  a  sword  in  the  other.  Abdallah  had 

112 


ABDALLAH 

nothing  but  a  dagger,  which  he  held  in  his  hand  as  he 
leaned  forward,  almost  concealed  by  the  mare's  neck. 
The  Arnaut  fired  and  missed.  The  horses  met  with 
a  violent  shock,  and  the  riders  engaged  hand  to  hand. 
But  Abdallah  had  the  strength  and  rage  of  a  lion ;  he 
seized  his  rival  round  the  waist,  shook  him  with  a 
terrible  grasp,  and  plunged  his  dagger  into  his  breast. 
The  blood  spouted  forth  like  wine  from  a  pierced 
skin,  and  the  Arnaut  bounded  up  and  reeled  in  his 
saddle.  Abdallah  snatched  him  from  his  horse  and 
threw  him  on  the  ground  as  if  to  trample  on  him. 
"There  is  one  that  will  drink  no  more,"  said  Hafiz, 
leaping  on  the  body  to  despoil  it. 

The  fall  of  the  captain,  the  swords  of  the  Bedouins, 
who  fell  on  the  enemy  like  bees  robbed  of  their  honey, 
and  the  cries  of  the  camel-drivers,  who  rushed  thither 
with  their  guns,  soon  decided  the  day.  The  Arnaut 
troop  disappeared  amid  dust  and  smoke,  the  bravest 
remaining  in  the  rear  and  firing  their  pistols  to  protect 
a  retreat  which  it  was  not  dared  to  molest.  The  vic- 
tory was  dearly  bought ;  more  than  one  was  wounded. 

"  Well,  my  brother"  said  Omar  with  flashing  eyes, 
"  shall  we  stand  here  while  these  robbers  are  carrying 
off  our  property?" 

"  Forward,  my  friends !  "  cried  Abdallah .  "  One  more 
effort !  we  must  have  the  sultana." 

"  She  is  here,  my  lord ;  she  is  here ! "  answered 
several  voices. 

Abdallah  turned  abruptly  and  saw  Leila,  who  had 
just  been  extricated  from  the  litter,  covered  with  dust 

113 


ABDALLAH 

and  blood,  with  pale  face  and  dishevelled  hair,  yet 
more  beautiful  than  ever,  despite  this  disorder.  "Save 
me!"  she  cried,  stretching  out  her  arms,  "save  me! 
my  only  hope  is  in  you." 

"Who  was  it,  then,  that  those  knaves  carried  off?" 
asked  Hafiz. 

"  It  was  Cafour "  said  Leila ;  "  she  had  put  on  my 
mantle  and  wrapped  me  in  her  burnoose." 

"Well  played"  said  a  Bedouin,  laughing;  "those 
sons  of  dogs  have  taken  an  ape  for  a  woman." 

" Let  us  begone  quickly"  cried  Omar,  feasting  his 
eyes  on  Leila.  "Let  us  begone;  the  day  is  ours.  Come, 
madam,  do  not  mourn  for  the  slave]'  said  he  to  Leila. 
"  For  two  hundred  douros  I  can  buy  just  such  another 
at  Djiddah,  which  I  shall  be  happy  to  offer  you." 

"  Let  us  go "  echoed  the  camel-drivers ;  "  the  band 
is  large,  and  will  return  to  attack  us  during  the  night." 

Hafiz  looked  at  Abdallah .  "  What !  "  said  the  young 
man,  moved  with  pity,  "  shall  we  leave  the  negress 
in  the  hands  of  these  wretches?" 

"What  is  written  is  written]'  replied  Omar,  who 
had  lost  all  desire  to  fight.  "  Is  it  wise,  my  brother, 
to  risk  your  life  and  that  of  these  brave  Mussulmans 
for  a  heathen  whom  we  can  replace  in  two  days?  We 
must  go ;  we  are  expected  at  Taif.  Are  you  about  to 
quit  us  when  we  are  in  need  of  you?" 

"Abdallah"  said  the  young  woman,  raising  her 
beautiful  eyes  to  him,  "  do  not  abandon  me !  " 

The  son  of  Yusuf  placed  his  hand  on  his  heart, 
which  he  felt  faltering.  "No,  no!"  he  exclaimed; 

114 


ABDALLAH 

"it  shall  not  be  said  that  a  Bedouin  forfeits  his  word. 
If  a  sack  of  coffee  had  been  intrusted  to  me,  I  would 
not  leave  it  in  the  hands  of  these  robbers,  and  shall 
I  abandon  to  them  one  of  God's  creatures?  Are  there 
any  men  here?  Who  will  come  with  me?"  There 
was  silence,  and  one  of  the  Beni  Amurs  stepped  forth. 

"There  are  six  of  us  wounded,  and  the  sultana  is 
saved"  said  he.  "We  have  kept  our  engagement." 

"Come,  my  child,"  said  Hafiz,  ironically,  "  I  see  that 
we  are  the  only  two  that  have  madness  in  our  veins. 
Let  us  go.  With  God's  aid  we  will  recover  the  child." 

"Adieu,  my  brother"  said  Abdallah,  embracing 
Omar ;  "  take  good  care  of  the  stranger.  If  you  do  not 
see  me  in  two  days,  tell  the  sherif  that  I  have  done 
my  duty,  and  my  mother  not  to  weep  for  me."  And 
without  turning  his  head,  the  son  of  Yusuf  took  the 
way  to  the  desert,  accompanied  by  Hafiz,  who  un- 
clasped his  burnoose,  and  threw  over  his  shoulders  a 
camel-driver's  cloak.  "We  need  the  skin  of  the  fox 
instead  of  the  lion,"  said  he,  laughing. 

Omar  followed  them  with  his  eyes,  and  when  he 
saw  them  disappear,  "  If  they  do  not  return"  thought 
he,  "it  will  be  no  great  matter.  I  shall  make  a  better 
bargain  with  the  sherif  than  with  that  youth.  It  is 
not  easy  to  dazzle  or  deceive  these  madcaps  who  never 
reason.  Hurrah  for  men  that  calculate!  they  are 
always  to  be  bought,  and  through  their  wisdom  we 
get  them  at  half  price." 

As  he  went  on,  Abdallah  heard  behind  him  the 
shouts  of  the  camel-drivers  and  the  noise  of  the  moving 

115 


ABDALLAH 

caravan.  He  was  quitting  all  that  he  loved  for  a 
strange  child.  More  than  once  he  was  inclined  to  look 
back,  but  he  dared  not  brave  his  uncle,  who,  his  eyes 
fixed  upon  him,  seemed  to  read  the  depths  of  his 
heart.  When  the  last  sound  died  away  in  the  distance, 
Abdallah  paused  in  spite  of  himself.  His  horse  turned 
round,  snuffing  the  wind,  and  anxious  to  rejoin  its 
friends.  Hafiz  laid  his  hand  on  the  young  man's  shoul- 
der. "My  son,"  said  he,  "your  road  lies  before  you." 


116 


XVII 


JFTER  an  hour's  march  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  Arnaut  tents,  until  then 
hidden  by  a  rising  ground .  The  camp 
was  in  the  midst  of  a  small  tract  of 
brushwood,  where  the  cattle  had  been 
turned  out  to  browse.  "Let  us  stop 
here"  said  Hafiz,  approaching  a  rock  illumined  by  the 
setting  sun;  "we  have  six  hours  before  us." 

The  horses  tethered,  the  old  man  set  to  work 
to  pick  up  the  dead  branches  and  tie  them  in  small 
bundles,  with  cartouches  and  cotton  inside.  When 
he  had  finished  his  task,  he  took  from  a  bag  a  piece 
of  dried  meat  and  a  handful  of  dates,  and  having 
eaten  them,  lighted  his  pipe,  and  began  to  smoke 
tranquilly.  "  Now,  my  nephew"  said  he,  "  I  am  going 
to  sleep.  Lovers  do  not  need  repose,  but  old  men 
are  not  like  lovers.  Wake  me  when  the  Great  Bear 
and  her  cubs  are  yonder  in  the  horizon."  A  few 
moments  after  he  was  asleep,  while  Abdallah,  his 
face  buried  in  his  hands,  mused  on  her  whom  he  had 
saved  and  was  never  more  to  behold. 


117 


ABDALLAH 

Hafiz  awakened  of  his  own  accord  just  before  the 
time  appointed,  and  looked  tenderly  at  his  young 
companion.  "Well,  my  child"  said  he,  "you  wished 
for  danger  that  you  might  forget  your  folly,  and  God 
has  granted  your  prayer.  Have  courage;  two  friends 
that  cling  together  will  come  out  safe  from  the  fire." 

On  nearing  the  camp,  the  Bedouins  glided  among 
the  briers  and  bushes.  By  creeping  on  their  hands 
and  knees  between  the  horses'  legs,  they  assured 
themselves  that  it  was  defenceless.  No  sentinels  had 
been  posted  except  at  a  distant  point ;  all  were  asleep ; 
the  fires  had  gone  out,  and  only  one  tent  was  lighted. 
They  noiselessly  crept  toward  it;  being  in  the  shade, 
they  could  see  without  being  seen.  "Listen"  said 
Hafiz;  "perhaps  we  shall  learn  what  has  become  of 
the  child." 

Three  men,  better  dressed  than  soldiers,  were  seated 
on  carpets,  smoking  long  pipes,  around  a  table1  on 
which  coffee  was  served.  A  lamp  in  the  middle  dimly 
lighted  their  faces.  All  three  were  talking  warmly. 

"A  bad  day's  work !  "  said  one  of  the  officers.  "  Who 
would  have  thought  that  the  captain  would  have  let 
himself  be  killed  by  a  camel-driver!  " 

"My  dear  Hassan"  answered  the  youngest  of  the 
party,  "  what  is  one  man's  misfortune  is  another's  good 
luck.  Since  the  captain  is  dead,  the  command  belongs 
to  us." 

"Very  well,  my  dear  Mohammed,"  returned  Hassan ; 
"but  which  of  us  three  shall  be  chief?" 

1  These  tables,  called  kursi,  are  a  species  of  benches  from  fifteen 
to  eighteen  inches  high. 

118 


ABD ALLAH 

"  I  will  sell  my  chance,"  said  the  one  who  had  not 
yet  spoken,  and  who  stood  with  his  back  to  Abdallah. 
"  It  is  said  that  the  woman  we  have  taken  is  a  relative 
of  the  Pacha  of  Egypt.  Give  me  the  sultana,  and  I 
will  return  to  Epirus  to  live  at  my  ease.  A  graybeard 
like  me  cares  little  for  a  woman,  but  the  sherif  will 
think  differently.  To  him  the  prisoner  will  be  well 
worth  five  thousand  douros." 

"Done"  said  Hassan.  "Kara  Shitan,  I  surrender 
to  you  my  share  of  the  prize." 

"But  I  do  not,"  said  Mohammed;  "I  am  twenty- 
five,  and  do  not  sell  women.  The  idea  of  marrying  a 
sultana  pleases  me.  I  should  not  be  sorry  to  be  the 
pachas  cousin.  My  share  of  the  command  for  the 
princess.  I  have  time  enough  to  become  captain." 

"We  can  arrange  it"  said  the  graybeard ;  "the  sword 
to  one,  the  woman  to  another,  and  the  money  to  me." 

"So  be  it"  said  Hassan.  "I  will  give  two  thousand 
douros ." 

"But  what  will  Mohammed  give?" 

"  Mohammed  will  promise  anything  you  like  "  replied 
the  young  man,  laughing.  "  He  who  has  nothing  but 
hope  in  his  purse  does  not  stop  to  haggle." 

"You  have  a  black  mare;  I  will  take  her." 

"Old  Jew"  cried  Mohammed,  "dare  to  touch  my 
mare,  and  I  will  break  your  head." 

"Then  you  shall  not  have  the  sultana,"  returned 
the  graybeard. 

"Who  will  hinder  me?" 

"A  man  that  fears  you  little,"  cried  Kara  Shitan; 

119 


ABDALLAH 

and  going  to  the  end  of  the  tent,  he  touched  the 
curtain  that  divided  it  in  two.  "The  sultana  is  here; 
take  her  if  you  can"  he  said. 

Mohammed  drew  his  dagger.  Hassan  threw  him- 
self between  the  rivals,  opposing  prayers  and  counsels 
to  threats  and  insults,  without  succeeding  in  imposing 
silence  on  the  opponents. 

"We  have  them  "  whispered  Hafiz  in  Abdallah's  ear. 
"I  am  going  to  draw  them  from  the  tent.  Take  the 
child,  go  with  the  horses,  and  wait  for  me  at  the  Red 
Rocks  till  daybreak." 

The  old  man  crept  to  his  bundles  of  sticks,  and 
slipped  them  here  and  there  under  the  most  distant 
tents,  lighting  the  end  of  a  match  which  projected 
from  each.  Meanwhile  Hassan  had  pacified  the  two 
chiefs  by  dint  of  persuasions  and  promises.  Kara 
Shitan  delightedly  thrust  in  his  girdle  a  magnificent 
sabre,  which  Mohammed  eyed  with  regret.  "Well" 
said  he,  "since  I  have  bought  the  sultana  give  her 
to  me." 

"It  is  just"  said  the  graybeard.  He  called  the 
stranger ;  the  curtain  rose ;  and  a  veiled  woman  came 
forth,  wrapped  in  an  Egyptian  mantle. 

The  young  Arnaut  approached  her,  and  said  in  a 
softened  voice,  "Madam,  war  has  its  rights;  you  no 
longer  belong  to  the  sherif,  but  to  me.  I  have  bought 
you  with  my  gold ;  if  necessary,  I  would  have  bought 
you  with  my  blood." 

"  It  is  a  dear  bargain  "  said  a  mocking  voice  which 
made  Abdallah  start. 

120 


ABDALLAH 

"Beauty  is  above  all  price  "  said  Mohammed.  "What 
treasure  could  pay  for  your  charms?" 

"Two  purses  would  be  enough"  replied  the  veiled 
lady. 

"  Madam ,  that  was  not  the  opinion  of  the  sherif. 
I  am  sure  that  the  Commander  of  the  Faithful  would 
give  half  his  wealth  to  be  in  my  place,  with  the  beauti- 
ful Egyptian  by  his  side." 

"If  the  caravan  is  still  on  its  way,  the  beautiful 
Egyptian  will  be  at  Taif  to-morrow"  returned  the 
stranger. 

"Who  are  you,  then? "  asked  Mohammed.  For  the 
answer,  the  veil  fell,  and  showed  the  ebony  face  and 
white  teeth  of  Cafour.  The  negress  made  so  strange 
a  figure  that  the  old  Arnaut  could  not  help  bursting 
into  a  laugh  which  raised  to  its  height  the  fury  of  his 
companion. 

"Woe  to  him  who  has  trifled  with  me!"  cried 
Mohammed,  looking  at  Kara  Shitan ;  "he  shall  pay  me 
sooner  or  later.  As  for  you,  dog,  you  shall  carry  it  no 
farther."  And  blind  with  rage,  he  drew  a  pistol  and 
fired  at  the  child.  The  negress  staggered,  uttering  a 
cry  of  pain  and  terror.  At  the  same  instant  a  shot  was 
heard,  and  Mohammed  reeled  and  fell.  Abdallah  was 
in  the  tent  with  a  pistol  in  his  hand. 

"To  arms!"  cried  the  chiefs,  putting  their  hands 
to  their  belts.  Swifter  than  lightning,  Cafour  over- 
turned the  table  and  lamp  with  her  foot,  and  Abdal- 
lah felt  a  little  hand  grasp  his  and  draw  him  to  the 
back  of  the  tent.  To  enter  the  woman's  apartments 

121 


ABDALLAH 

and  lift  a  corner  of  the  canvas  was  an  easy  thing  for 
Cafour,  who  seemed  to  see  in  the  dark.  Once  out- 
side, Abdallah  took  the  child  in  his  arms  and  fled  to 
the  desert. 

The  voice  of  the  chiefs  had  roused  the  whole  band, 
but  on  rushing  into  the  tent  they  could  find  no  one. 
"  To  horse !  "  cried  Hassan ;  "  dead  or  alive,  the  trai- 
tor shall  not  escape  us." 

All  at  once  a  burning  torch  fell  in  the  midst  of  the 
brush.  The  frightened  horses  rushed  into  the  plain, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  cry  of  fire  was  raised.  The 
conflagration  spread  in  every  direction,  while  at  a  dis- 
tance shots  were  fired  at  the  sentinels.  "Come,  my 
children"  said  the  captain;  "it  is  an  attack;  the  enemy 
is  at  hand .  Forward !  " 

Hafiz  had  his  ear  to  the  ground.  "Allah  is  great; 
Abdallah  is  saved ! "  he  exclaimed,  when  he  heard 
the  enemy  coming  toward  him.  He  plunged  into  a 
thicket  and  waited  for  the  Arnauts  to  pass;  then, 
leaping  upon  a  stray  horse,  he  galloped  into  the  des- 
ert, without  troubling  himself  about  the  balls  that 
whistled  round  him. 


122 


XVIII 


THE  SILVER  LEAF 

1BDALLAH  ran  with  his  burden  to  the 
rock  where  he  had  tethered  the 
horses.  He  seated  Cafour  before  him 
on  the  saddle,  and  gave  full  rein  to 
Hamama,  who  flew  over  the  ground, 
followed  by  the  horse  of  Hafiz.  An 
hour  passed  before  the  son  of  Yusuf  dared  stop  to 
listen.  Becoming  more  tranquil  in  proportion  as  he 
advanced,  he  at  last  slackened  his  speed,  and  tried  to 
steer  his  course  in  the  darkness  toward  the  place  where 
he  was  to  meet  his  uncle. 

During  this  rapid  flight  Cafour  had  remained  mute 
and  motionless,  pressed  close  to  Abdallah.  When  she 
understood  that  the  danger  was  passed,  she  called 
him  her  savior.  "Were  you  too  a  prisoner?  "  she  whis- 
pered. 

"No,  thank  God,"  answered  Abdallah. 
"  Then  why  did  you  come  among  the  tents  of  your 
enemies?" 

"  Why  ?  "  said  the  son  of  Yusuf,  smiling ;  "  to  save 
you,  of  course." 


123 


ABDALLAH 

The  answer  surprised  Cafour.  She  mused  for  some 
time.  "Why  did  you  wish  to  save  me?"  she  said. 

"Because  you  had  been  confided  to  my  keeping." 

"Keep  me  always,  Abdallah;  no  one  will  protect 
me  like  you." 

"I  am  not  your  master"  answered  the  young  chief; 
"you  belong  to  Leila." 

Cafour  sighed  and  said  no  more.  On  reaching  the 
Red  Rocks,  Abdallah  lifted  her  from  the  saddle.  She 
uttered  a  cry,  which  she  instantly  smothered.  "It  is 
nothing,  master;  I  am  wounded"  she  whispered,  and 
she  stretched  out  her  bleeding  arm.  The  ball  had 
grazed  the  shoulder,  tearing  the  flesh.  Abdallah 
examined  the  wound  by  the  light  of  the  stars,  then 
sponged  and  bandaged  it,  while  Cafour  looked  at  him 
with  astonishment. 

"  Since  I  do  not  belong  to  you,  why  do  you  bind  up 
my  wound?"  she  asked. 

"Silence,  heathen!  you  know  not  the  words  of  the 
Book  of  Truth :  '  Serve  God,  and  associate  no  creature 
with  him;  show  kindness  unto  parents  and  relations 
and  orphans  and  the  poor,  and  your  neighbor  who  is  of 
kin  to  you,  and  also  your  neighbor  who  is  a  stranger, 
and  to  your  familiar  companion,  and  the  traveller,  and 
the  captives  whom  your  right  hands  shall  possess ;  for 
God  loveth  neither  pride,  nor  vanity,  nor  avarice.'" 

"That  is  beautiful"  said  Cafour;  "it  was  a  great  God 
who  said  it." 

"  Hush,  and  go  to  sleep"  interrupted  the  young 
man;  "the  road  will  be  long  to-morrow,  and  you  need 

124 


ABDALLAH 

rest."  As  he  spoke,  Abdallah  took  the  child  on  his 
lap,  and  wrapping  her  in  his  burnoose,  supported  her 
head  with  his  arm.  Cafour  soon  fell  asleep.  At  first 
she  tossed  about  and  talked  in  her  sleep,  while  her 
heart  beat  so  loudly  that  Abdallah  could  hear  it.  By 
degrees  she  grew  calmer,  her  limbs  relaxed,  and  she 
slept  so  sweetly  that  she  could  hardly  be  heard  to 
breathe.  The  soldier  gently  rocked  the  young  girl 
whom  the  fate  of  war  had  given  him  for  a  day,  think- 
ing, as  he  gazed  on  her,  of  his  mother  and  all  that 
she  had  suffered  for  him.  He  remained  thus  through 
the  night,  enjoying  a  peace  to  which  he  had  before 
been  a  stranger.  A  deep  silence  reigned  around  him 
on  the  earth;  in  the  heavens  all  was  motionless  save 
that  luminous  army  which  for  centuries  has  obeyed  the 
command  of  the  Eternal.  This  repose  of  all  things 
refreshed  Abdallah's  soul,  and  he  forgot  both  the 
dangers  of  the  day  and  the  anxiety  of  the  morrow. 

A  faint  streak  of  light  in  the  horizon  had  scarcely 
announced  the  dawn,  when  the  cry  of  a  jackal  was 
heard  in  the  distance.  The  sound  was  thrice  repeated. 
Abdallah  echoed  it.  His  cry  was  answered,  and  a 
panting  horse  bounded  to  the  rock  —  Hafiz  was  safe. 

"Well,  nephew"  said  he  laughing,  "the  trick  has 
succeeded;  they  are  smoked  out  like  so  many  rats. 
Forward !  we  must  not  make  them  wait  for  us  at  Taif ." 

A  red  light  streaked  the  east.  Abdallah  spread  the 
carpet  of  prayer,  and  the  two  comrades,  with  their 
faces  turned  toward  Mecca,  thanked  the  All- Powerful 
who  had  rescued  them  from  peril. 

125 


ABDALLAH 

"Abdallah"  said  Cafour,  falling  on  her  knees  before 
her  savior,  "you  are  my  god;  I  will  worship  no  other." 

"Silence,  heathen !  "  cried  the  son  of  Yusuf.  "There 
is  but  one  God,  who  has  no  associate,— the  Eternal, 
the  Incomparable;  it  is  He  whom  you  must  worship 
and  adore." 

"Then  your  God  shall  be  my  God,"  said  Cafour. 
"I  will  not  have  a  god  that  leaves  me  to  be  murdered." 

"Your  god"  said  Abdallah,  "is  deaf,  dumb,  and 
blind ;  it  is  some  piece  of  wood  rotting  in  the  Maghreb." 

"No"  interrupted  the  child,  "my  god  was  with  me, 
and  did  not  help  me.  Here"  she  added,  taking  from 
her  hair  a  tuft  of  feathers,  "  take  it ;  break  it  in  pieces. 
I  want  it  no  longer." 

"Is  that  bunch  of  feathers  your  god?"  said  Hafiz, 
smiling. 

"Yes"  replied  the  child,  "it  is  the  god  my  mother 
gave  me  when  she  sold  me.  It  is  pretty;  look  at  it." 
And  pulling  out  and  breaking  the  feathers  while  she 
loaded  them  with  reproaches,  she  took  from  the  bunch 
a  thin  piece  of  silver,  which  she  gave  to  Abdallah. 

"My  uncle"  cried  the  latter,  in  a  transport  of  joy, 
"see  what  has  come  to  us  from  the  Maghreb!  God 
has  sent  us  the  shamrock -leaf.  You  have  saved  me, 
my  uncle !  Glory  and  gratitude  to  God !  " 

And  the  two  friends,  intoxicated  with  joy,  embraced 
the  child,  who,  not  understanding  their  caresses,  gazed 
at  them  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  astonished  and  happy 
at  feeling  herself  beloved. 


126 


XIX 


THE  SECRET 

|HEN  the  two  friends  at  last  perceived 
the  caravan  winding  like  a  huge  ser- 
pent in  the  distance,  night  was  ap- 
proaching; the  last  beams  of  the  sun 
shone  on  the  white  houses  of  Taif, 
gleaming  amid  the  gardens  like  eglan- 
tines in  a  thicket.  They  were  quitting  the  empire 
of  the  sands;  the  peril  was  overcome,  and  the  jour- 
ney finished .  At  the  sight  of  Taif,  Abdallah  was  seized 
with  bitter  sorrow.  Restless,  troubled,  bereft  of  his 
reason,  one  thought  filled  his  soul,— Leila  was  lost  to 
him.  The  Bedouins  received  their  companions  with 
cries  of  joy.  Omar  embraced  his  brother  with  the 
greatest  tenderness.  Abdallah  remained  cold  to  all 
these  caresses;  his  only  emotion  was  on  parting  with 
Cafour.  The  poor  girl  threw  herself  into  her  savior's 
arms,  and  nothing  could  tear  her  from  them,  until  at 
last  Abdallah  was  forced  harshly  to  command  her  to 
return  to  her  mistress.  She  departed  in  tears.  The 
son  of  Yusuf  fixed  a  longing  gaze  on  her;  he  had 
broken  the  last  link  that  bound  him  to  Leila. 


127 


ABDALLAH 

Cafour  was  approaching  the  litter  when  Omar  called 
to  her,  showing  her  two  articles  which  he  held  in  his 
hand.  "Come  hither,  child  of  Satan"  he  said  in  a 
half-jeering,  half-threatening  tone;  "what  is  the  dif- 
ference between  this  whip  and  this  necklace  of  five 
strings  of  pearls?" 

"  The  same  difference  that  there  is  between  your 
brother  and  you,"  answered  the  negress.  "One  is  as 
beautiful  as  the  rainbow;  the  other  is  fit  for  nothing 
but  to  kindle  the  fires  of  the  pit." 

"You  have  your  father's  wit "  returned  Omar,  calmly; 
"it  will  not  be  hard,  therefore,  for  you  to  choose.  Do 
you  want  the  necklace?" 

"Yes,  indeed"  said  the  negress,  with  sparkling  eyes. 
"What  am  I  to  do  for  it?" 

"Very  little.  In  an  hour  you  will  be  in  the  harem  ; 
every  one  will  wish  to  see  you,  and  nothing  will  be 
easier  than  for  you  to  gain  admittance  to  the  sherifs 
wife,  the  Sultana  Fatima.  Repeat  to  her,  word  for 
word,  what  I  shall  tell  you,  and  the  necklace  is  yours." 

"  Give  it  to  me,"  said  Cafour,  stretching  out  her  hand ; 
"I  am  listening." 

"While  you  are  amusing  the  sultana  with  your  ape's 
face  and  kittenish  grimaces,  whisper  to  her,  '  Mistress, 
I  have  a  message  to  you  from  a  friend.  "Moon  of 
May"  he  says,  "a  new  moon  is  approaching.  If  you 
do  not  wish  her  to  disturb  the  serenity  of  your  nights, 
keep  the  sun  in  the  sign  of  Gemini.  Importune,  urge, 
and  command.  Take  for  your  motto,  Love  is  like 
madness;  everything  is  forgiven  it."'" 

128 


ABDALLAH 

"Repeat  the  last  sentence"  said  Cafour.  "Good; 
I  know  it  now:  'Love  is  like  madness;  everything  is 
forgiven  it.'  The  sultana  shall  have  your  message. 
One  word  only :  can  these  words  do  any  harm  to  your 
brother?" 

"  None  "  replied  the  son  of  Mansour,  suppressing  a 
smile.  "Abdallah  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  it. 
He  is  threatened  by  no  danger ;  and  even  if  he  were 
in  peril,  these  words  would  insure  his  safety.  Farewell. 
Speak  of  this  to  no  one ;  and  if  you  obey  me,  rely  on 
my  generosity.  The  date  is  ripe,  who  will  gather 
it?  "  he  added  to  himself.  "  I  am  rid  of  the  handsome 
Abdallah ;  it  remains  for  me  now  to  second  the  sul- 
tana's jealousy  and  add  to  the  enemies  of  the  sherif. 
The  game  is  not  without  danger,  but  cost  what  it 
may,  Leila  must  quit  the  harem ;  once  outside  of  it, 
she  is  mine." 

On  rejoining  her  mistress,  Cafour  was  surprised  to 
see  her  pale  and  haggard,  her  eyes  glittering  with 
fever. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  said  the  child.  "Are  you 
weeping  when  your  happiness  is  about  to  begin, — 
when  you  will  have  four  slaves  to  wait  on  you,  robes 
of  velvet  and  satin,  Cashmere  scarfs,  slippers  embroid- 
ered with  gold  and  pearls,  enamel  necklaces,  diamond 
tiaras,  and  ruby  and  sapphire  bracelets?  What  more 
can  a  woman  desire?  You  were  so  happy  at  coming 
here  on  quitting  Egypt,  why  have  you  changed?" 

"You  can  not  understand  me;  you  are  only  a  child" 
said  Leila,  in  a  languishing  voice. 

129 


ABDALLAH 

"I  am  no  longer  a  child,  mistress,"  returned  the 
negress.  "  I  am  almost  twelve  years  old ;  I  am  a  woman ; 
you  can  trust  in  me." 

"Ah,  my  poor  Cafour "  cried  the  Egyptian,  sighing, 
"if  you  would  preserve  your  heart,  keep  your  eyes 
shut.  Why  did  I  see  that  handsome  young  man?  Had 
it  not  been  for  him,  I  should  have  joyfully  entered 
the  harem ;  now  I  shall  be  there  like  the  dead  among 
the  living." 

"Do  you  love  Abdallah,  then?"  asked  the  child, 
touched  by  this  confidence. 

"Do  I  love  him?  Is  it  possible  to  see  him  without 
loving  him?  Is  there  a  more  beautiful  face  than  his 
in  paradise?  His  look  is  so  gracious,  his  voice  so 
sweet,  his  very  name  is  perfume!  Do  I  love  him? 
Awake,  my  soul  lives  for  him  alone;  asleep,  my  heart 
wakes  and  languishes  with  love !  Would  to  God  that 
I  had  been  born  amid  the  tents,  with  this  Bedouin 
for  my  brother,  that  I  might  cast  myself  into  his  arms 
with  none  to  despise  me ! " 

"Go  with  him;  said  Cafour.  "I  will  tell  him  to 
carry  you  off." 

"What  are  you  thinking  of?  I  am  a  slave;  I  have 
a  master.  Besides,  do  you  think  that  Abdallah  would 
ever  break  his  word?  He  is  taking  me  to  the  sherif; 
would  you  have  him  betray  his  faith?" 

"Then  tell  the  sherif  to  give  you  Abdallah  for  a 
husband." 

"Hush,  idiot.  Such  a  request  would  be  the  death- 
sentence  of  us  all." 

130 


ABDALLAH 

Cafour  musingly  repeated  to  herself  Omar's  mes- 
sage; then,  looking  at  Leila,  "Mistress?  said  she,  "if 
you  should  become  Abdallah's  wife,  and  go  to  dwell 
with  him  amid  the  tents,  would  you  keep  me  with  you  ? " 
"Always,  child.    I  love  you ;  you  shall  never  quit  me." 
"Should  I  be  your  slave  and  Abdallah's  all  my  life?  " 
"Of  course.    But  of  what  use  is  such  a  question?" 
"Swear  this  to  me,"  returned  Cafour,  in  a  solemn 
voice,  "and  let  me  alone.    Do  not  question  me;  do 
not  shake  your  head  with  disdain.    What  do  you  risk 
in  swearing  what  I  ask?    Would  you  sell  me  or  send 
me  away?" 

"No,  indeed.  Should  it  please  God  for  me  to 
become  the  wife  of  him  whom  I  love  like  my  own 
soul,  you  shall  always  remain  with  us;  I  swear  it  to 
you  in  the  name  of  God,  the  clement,  the  merciful, 
the  Sovereign  of  the  worlds—' 

"  My  mistress,  I  am  an  ignorant  heathen ;  swear  it 
to  me  only  by  the  God  of  Abdallah."  Talking  thus,  the 
two  friends  reached  the  harem,  where  numerous  com- 
panions awaited  them.  Cafour,  still  laughing,  leaped 
from  the  palanquin  and  ran  toward  a  large  room,  bril- 
liantly lighted,  and  filled  with  tables  covered  with  sil- 
ver and  flowers.  Leila  complained  of  the  fatigue  of  the 
journey,  and  retired  to  her  chamber  to  weep  without 
restraint.  Useless  grief,  powerless  to  remedy  an  ill 
that  could  not  be  cured!  "He  who  is  intoxicated 
with  wine"  says  the  sage  of  Shiraz,  "awakens  during 
the  night;  he  who  is  intoxicated  with  love  awakens 
only  on  the  morning  of  the  resurrection ! " 

131 


XX 


THE  PATIENCE  OF  REYNARD 

BD  ALLAH  wished  to  set  out  the  same 
evening,  and  Hafiz  was  not  less  im- 
patient. It  seemed  to  him  that  by 
fleeing  to  the  desert  his  nephew  would 
leave  anxiety  and  sorrow  behind  him. 
But  the  sherif  had  announced  that  he 
would  receive  the  chiefs  of  the  caravan  the  next  day, 
and  it  was  impossible  to  decline  the  honor. 

At  an  early  hour  they  repaired  to  the  palace.  The 
courtyard  was  full  of  Bedouins,  dressed  in  their  blue 
robes  set  off  by  a  scarlet  scarf  thrown  across  the  shoul- 
der. All  wished  to  shake  hands  with  the  brave  Abdal- 
lah  and  the  prudent  Hafiz.  Omar  talked  in  a  low 
voice  with  the  old  shepherd.  For  the  first  time  he 
complained  of  the  dangers  of  the  road ;  for  the  first 
time  he  reproached  the  sherif  for  having  exposed  so 
many  brave  men  to  almost  certain  death.  Hafiz 
approved  his  words,  and  seconded  them  with  a  warmth 
which  delighted  the  son  of  Mansour. 

The  visitors  were  led  by  black  slaves  into  a  room 
covered  with  rich  carpets,  and  surrounded  with  divans 


132 


ADD ALLAH 

of  green  silk  embroidered  with  gold.  The  walls  were 
bare  of  all  ornament  except  a  beautiful  Turkish  sabre, 
set  with  topazes  and  rubies,  a  gift  from  the  sultan. 
Omar  pointed  it  out  to  Hafiz,  who,  while  murmuring 
against  what  he  called  a  weakness,  nevertheless  bowed 
respectfully  before  the  Commander  of  the  Faithful. 
After  receiving  the  salutations  of  all  the  band,  the 
sherif  clapped  his  hands,  and  pipes  and  coffee  were 
instantly  served.  The  Bedouins  seated  themselves  on 
the  ground,  and  each  smoked  in  silence.  Abdullah 
started ;  among  the  crowd  of  servants  who  stood  await- 
ing their  master's  orders,  he  had  just  seen  Cafour, 
who  raised  her  hand  to  her  throat.  Whether  it  was 
to  him  or  to  some  other  that  the  child  made  the  sign, 
he  could  not  guess;  no  one  raised  his  eyes,  least  of 
all  Omar. 

The  descendant  of  the  Prophet  seemed  buried  in 
deep  reflection.  He  wras  a  noble-looking  old  man, 
whose  white  beard,  large  nose,  and  calm  eyes  gave 
him  an  air  of  majesty.  A  large  turban,  a  blue  robe 
of  the  finest  Cashmere,  and  a  girdle  of  gold  and  pur- 
ple, in  which  glittered  a  dagger  covered  with  precious 
stones,  added  to  his  dignity.  At  heart,  the  sherif 
was  a  sage  who  thought  of  no  one  but  himself.  Intract- 
able toward  all  who  disturbed  his  peace,  he  was  the 
gentlest  of  mankind  when  his  passions  and  habits  were 
let  alone.  Power  had  not  spoiled  him;  he  readily 
listened  to  the  truth  when  it  did  not  affect  himself, 
and  suffered  without  complaint  the  most  shameless 
falsehoods  of  his  flatterers  and  servants.  Fastidious, 

133 


ABDALLAH 

a  great  lover  of  stories,  and  a  refined  poet,  his  only 
weakness — a  weakness  natural  to  his  age — was  the 
desire  to  be  loved.  Thanks  to  this  secret,  which  she 
had  learned  the  very  first  day,  the  beautiful  Fatima 
made  her  master  the  most  obedient  of  slaves;  she 
made  him  submit  to  all  her  fancies  by  telling  him 
that  a  woman's  caprices  are  a  proof  of  her  love.  At 
sixty  it  is  easier  to  believe  than  to  quarrel,  and  the 
sherif  yielded  to  avoid  a  storm,  too  happy  when  he 
was  rewarded  with  a  caress.  This  morning,  however, 
there  was  not  a  cloud  on  the  horizon .  The  Commander 
of  the  Faithful  seemed  in  excellent  humor ;  he  smiled 
as  he  ran  his  fingers  through  his  long  beard,  and 
looked  like  a  man  just  waking  from  a  blissful  dream 
which  he  would  fain  retain. 

The  second  pipe  finished,  the  sherif  took  up  the 
conversation,  and  in  the  most  gracious  terms  thanked 
the  Bedouins  and  Omar  for  their  visit  and  their  ser- 
vices. Instead  of  replying  to  this  courtesy,  the  son 
of  Mansour  started  up  like  a  criminal  struck  with 
terror,  arid  prostrating  himself  before  the  descendant 
of  the  Prophet,  kissed  his  feet. 

"Son  of  All  and  of  Hassan"  said  he  in  a  broken 
voice,  "  I  know  what  the  slave  deserves  who  suffers 
his  master's  trust  to  be  violated.  I  know  my  crime, 
and  await  without  complaint  the  punishment  reserved 
for  me  by  your  justice." 

"Rise"  said  the  sherif,  kindly.  "What  is  written 
is  written.  God  sends  disaster  and  success  by  turns 
to  men,  in  order  that  he  may  know  the  believers, 

134 


ABDALLAH 

and  choose  his  witnesses  from  among  you.  As  to  the 
insult  offered  me  by  those  wretches,  I  shall  choose 
the  day  and  hour  for  reparation.  Patience — with 
patience  everything  comes  in  due  season." 

"Alas !  "  continued  the  son  of  Mansour,  still  on  his 
knees,  "the  attack  was  nothing;  my  brother  Abdallah 
and  his  brave  Bedouins  repulsed  the  traitors.  But  we 
were  surprised;  the  slave  was  for  a  moment  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy;  those  men  without  faith  and 
honor  tore  off  her  veil,  and  profaned  with  their 
unworthy  looks  that  beauty  which  should  have  been 
sacred  from  all." 

"Enough!"  interrupted  the  sherif,  displeased  at 
this  tale.  "The  care  of  my  honor  concerns  me  alone. 
Patience ! " 

"  Patience !  "  exclaimed  Hafiz ;  "  that  was  what  the 
fox  said  when  he  feigned  death." 

"What  was  it  that  the  fox  said?"  asked  the  sherif, 
looking  sternly  at  Hafiz,  who  seemed  moved  by  any 
other  feeling  than  that  of  fear. 

"There  was  once  a  fox  who  was  growing  old"  said 
the  Bedouin,  "and  who  abandoned  the  chase  and  all 
adventures  in  order  every  night  to  visit  a  poultry- 
yard  near  his  hole,  where  he  grew  fat  without  trouble 
or  danger.  One  night  he  forgot  how  the  time  was 
passing,  and  when  he  was  ready  to  go  out,  he  found 
the  sun  risen  and  every  one  at  work.  To  return 
safely  seemed  impossible;  so  in  order  not  to  brave 
certain  danger,  he  stretched  himself  by  the  roadside 
and  pretended  to  be  dead,  saying,  'Patience;  in 

135 


ABDALLAH 

patience  there  is  safety.'  The  first  who  passed  by 
paid  no  attention  to  him.  The  second  turned  him 
over  with  his  foot  to  be  sure  that  he  was  dead.  The 
third  was  a  child,  who  amused  himself  by  pulling  out 
his  whiskers.  'Patience!'  said  the  fox.  'The  child 
knows  not  what  he  is  doing ;  he  does  not  mean  to  insult 
me.  It  is  better  to  suffer  vexation  than  to  run  the 
risk  of  death.'  Next  came  a  hunter  with  a  gun  on  his 
shoulder.  "A  fox's  nail  is  a  sovereign  remedy  for  a 
felon,'  said  he,  taking  out  his  knife.  'Patience! '  said 
the  fox ;  '  it  is  better  to  live  with  three  paws  than  to 
die  with  four; '  and  he  let  himself  be  mutilated  with- 
out stirring.  Next  came  a  woman  with  a  child  on  her 
shoulder.  '  This  fox's  teeth  will  make  a  necklace  that 
will  preserve  my  babe  from  the  evil  eye,'  said  she." 

"I  know  the  story"  interrupted  the  sherif;  "when 
the  mother  came  near,  the  fox  flew  in  her  face." 

"My  story  does  not  say  so,"  returned  Hafiz,  gravely. 
"When  once  we  compound  with  our  courage,  we  know 
not  where  to  stop.  The  fox  let  himself  be  robbed 
of  his  teeth,  repeating  'Patience!'  and  lay  still  till 
a  last  thief  tore  out  his  heart,  when  he  saw,  but  too 
late,  that  patience  is  the  surest  of  dangers." 

"I  begin  to  think  so,"  said  the  sherif,  "since  a 
Bedouin  comes  to  my  palace  to  tell  me  his  foolish 
stories.  A  shepherd  must  be  rude  indeed  not  to  under- 
stand my  indulgence  and  to  insult  my  goodness.  If 
the  caravan  was  attacked  in  a  safe  country  traversed 
by  all  the  merchants,  whose  fault  was  it  except  those 
who  chose  for  their  leader  a  child  whom  I  spare  through 

136 


ABDALLAH 

pity?  A  do/en  armed  and  resolute  Bedouins  always 
cross  the  desert  without  any  one  daring  to  attack 
them.  If  the  Arnauts  surprised  you,  a  snare  must 
have  been  laid  for  you,  into  which  you  fell  either 
through  folly  or  treachery." 

"My  lord"  cried  the  son  of  Mansour,  raising  his 
hands  in  supplication,  "you  speak  truly;  this  was  my 
fault.  In  choosing  my  brother  and  friend  for  the  leader 
of  the  caravan,  I  ought  to  have  remembered  that  at 
our  age  passion  renders  us  blind.  Chance  destroyed 
us.  At  the  beginning  of  the  journey  the  sight  of  the 
slave  troubled  the  young  man,  and  made  him  forget 
his  prudence." 

"What  do  I  hear?"  cried  the  sherif,  with  flashing 
eyes.  "  Is  this  the  way  that  I  am  obeyed?  Is  this  the 
way  that  I  am  respected?  Woe  to  him  who  has  trifled 
with  me !  He  shall  see  whether  I  will  submit  to  insult. 
Merchant,  you  shall  be  punished  for  your  imprudence, 
and,  young  man,  you  shall  suffer  for  your  folly."  And 
calling  a  negro  with  a  large  sabre  at  his  side,  the 
Commander  of  the  Faithful  pointed  to  Omar  and 
Abdallah,  making  a  horizontal  movement  with  his 
hand.  It  was  the  sentence  of  death. 

The  Bedouins  looked  at  each  other,  shuddering, 
but  no  one,  not  even  Hafiz,  dared  rebel  against  the 
descendant  of  the  Prophet.  Omar  heard  the  sentence 
without  changing  countenance ;  he  looked  around  him 
as  if  to  implore  aid,  and  raising  his  hand,  made  a  sign 
to  the  iiegress  which  she  did  not  seem  to  comprehend. 
The  son  of  Mansour  frowned  angrily.  "Accursed  be 


ABU ALL AH 

the  dervish!  "  murmured  he.  "Can  he  have  told  the 
truth?  Is  my  confidence  in  the  Bedouin  about  to 
plunge  me  into  this  ruin?  Can  I  have  loved  this  mad- 
man better  than  I  thought?" 

Abdallah  raised  his  eyes  and  proudly  smiled  at  the 
executioner.  "  Poor  child !  "  said  Hafiz,  embracing  his 
nephew,  "I  have  slain  you." 

"No,  my  father"  replied  the  young  man,  calmly, 
"it  is  God  that  gives  life  and  death.  Be  resigned, 
and  comfort  my  mother.  Do  not  pity  me;  to  me 
death  is  better  than  life."  Then,  turning  to  Omar, 
who  still  kept  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  negress,  he  gave 
him  his  hand.  "My  brother,  pardon  me"  said  he,  "in 
the  name  of  her  who  watched  over  your  childhood." 
And  bowing  respectfully  to  the  Commander  of  the 
Faithful,  he  followed  the  executioner. 

"Stop!"  cried  Cafour,  falling  at  the  sherif's  feet. 
"It  was  my  fault;  it  was  I  that  snatched  off  my  mis- 
tress's veil.  Kill  me,  but  spare  Abdallah." 

"  Drive  off  this  daughter  of  a  dog,  and  punish  her 
till  she  is  silent,"  said  the  sherif. 

"  Pardon !  "  cried  the  child,  as  a  negro  was  carrying 
her  off,— "pardon! "  and  with  a  desperate  effort  she 
tore  herself  from  the  slave,  leaving  a  piece  of  her 
dress  in  his  hands.  "Pity!  "  she  murmured,  clasping 
the  knees  of  the  sherif,  who  rudely  repulsed  her. 
"  Pity,  master ;  Abdallah  is  innocent ;  he  was  not  the 
guilty  one."  Then,  suddenly  spying  Omar's  contracted 
features,  she  sprang  up  as  if  struck  with  lightning, 
and  stretching  her  hands  toward  the  prince,  "Do  not 

138 


ABDALLAH 

be  cruel,"  said  she.  "  Remember  that  love  is  like  mad- 
ness; everything  is  forgiven  it." 

"Stop !  "  cried  the  sherif  to  the  executioner.  "There 
is  something  strange  in  this"  thought  he;  "it  is  the 
same  sentence  that  Fatima  repeated  to  me  this  morn- 
ing, and  refused  to  explain  to  me.  Come  here,  child" 
said  he  to  Cafour,  in  a  milder  tone.  "Where  do  these 
words  come  from  —  do  you  know?" 

"Yes"  said  Cafour;  "they  come  from  lips  that  open 
only  for  consolation  and  pity." 

"Do  you  know  the  meaning  of  them?" 

"Yes"  replied  Cafour,  trembling  as  she  spoke. 
"Abdallah  has  never  heard  these  words,  but  Omar  has 
long  known  the  secret  of  them.  Question  him;  he 
will  tell  you  everything." 

"Oh,  my  master"  cried  Omar,  dragging  himself  to 
the  sherif's  feet,  and  speaking  in  a  suppressed  voice, 
"  the  child  is  right.  I  know  these  words  but  too  well ; 
they  were  the  cause  of  my  fault,  and  will  perhaps 
excuse  it.  When  you  summoned  me  to  Taif,  my  errand 
was  suspected ;  before  I  could  quit  your  palace,  a  mad 
promise  was  wrung  from  me,  which  I  have  only  too 
faithfully  obeyed.  I  compromised  the  slave  as  I  had 
been  commanded.  Could  I  resist  a  will  protected  by 
your  love?  Happy  is  he  who  can  inspire  such  ardent 
passion;  will  not  happiness  render  him  indulgent?" 

While  uttering  these  unblushing  falsehoods,  the 
son  of  Mansour  studied  the  sherifs  face,  which  resumed 
its  serenity.  Omar  soon  ceased  to  supplicate  the  old 
man  who  held  his  life  in  his  hands.  Sure  of  his  vic- 

139 


ABDALLAH 

tory,  he  began  to  flatter  him  beyond  measure,  and  by 
adroit  words  gradually  soothed  the  last  emotions  of 
anger  in  his  soul. 

"Rise!  I  pardon  you,"  said  the  sherif,  at  length. 
"I  also  pardon  this  proud  Bedouin,  who  braves  me 
even  under  the  sword  of  the  executioner.  I  have 
shown  that  I  fear  no  one,  and  that  I  know  how  to 
punish  those  who  insult  me;  it  is  enough.  I  keep  the 
blood  of  my  faithful  followers  for  a  better  occasion. 
Young  man,"  he  added,  looking  at  Abdallah  with  a 
kindly  smile,  "remember  that  henceforth  your  life 
belongs  to  me;  I  rely  on  you,  as  well  as  your  friends, 
to  avenge  our  common  insult." 

For  his  sole  answer,  the  son  of  Yusuf  took  the 
sherif 's  hand  and  kissed  it  with  emotion,  while  Hafiz 
burst  into  transports  of  joy  and  gratitude. 

"  Here  !  "  said  the  Commander  of  the  Faithful,  call- 
ing Cafour;  "come  hither,  daughter  of  night.  Is  this 
all  that  the  sultana  told  you  ?  " 

"No"  answered  the  negress,  boldly,  putting  on  a 
mysterious  air.  "The  sultana  told  me  that  if  you 
pardoned  her  her  mad  love,  she  must  also  have  a  proof 
of  your  affection." 

"Speak "  said  the  old  man ;  "what  can  I  refuse  a  poor 
creature  that  loves  me  to  distraction  ? " 

"The  sultana  fears  that  you  will  refuse  her  request; 
to  grant  it,  she  says,  needs  a  love  as  great  as  her 
own." 

"Speak,"  said  the  sherif;  "I  am  dying  of  impa- 
tience." 

140 


ABDALLAH 

"Well,  then,  do  not  give  her  for  a  rival  this  strange 
woman,  dishonored  by  the  gaze  of  the  Bedouins  and 
Arnauts." 

"Is  that  all? "  replied  the  Commander  of  the  Faith- 
ful, smiling.  "What!  raise  this  woman  to  my  throne, 
after  all  that  has  passed?  Never!  She  shall  remain 
a  slave,  and  end  her  days  in  a  corner  of  the  harem." 

"That  is  not  what  the  sultana  means;  she  is  anxious 
and  jealous.  What  she  desires  is  that  Leila  should 
quit  the  palace,  never  more  to  return.  'Let  my  hus- 
band,' said  she,  'let  the  beloved  of  my  soul  give  me  a 
last  pledge  of  his  love.  Can  he  not  leave  this  creature 
to  those  who  brought  her  hither?  It  will  be  easy  to 
find  an  honorable  match  for  her  among  the  Bedouins, 
and  I  shall  be  left  alone  to  love  the  master  of  my  life!" 

"Oh,  the  weakness  of  women !  "  cried  the  descend- 
ant of  the  Prophet.  "The  Koran  is  right  in  recom- 
mending indulgence  to  us  who  have  strength  and 
sense.  This  jealousy  of  Fatimas  is  madness,  at  which 
I  should  blush  to  yield,  were  it  not  my  pleasure  to 
show  her  that  nothing  is  impossible  either  to  my  power 
or  my  love.  Bring  Leila  hither,  and  tell  the  sultana 
that  her  rival  shall  not  return  to  the  harem.  Such  is 
my  will;  I  mean  that  all  shall  respect  it." 

And  turning  to  the  Bedouins,  "My  friends"  said 
the  sherif,  in  a  loud  voice,  "  I  make  you  the  judges 
of  my  conduct.  What  should  I  do  with  the  Egyptian 
Avoman  whom  you  have  escorted  hither?  Through 
respect  for  myself,  I  can  not  take  her  as  a  wife ;  through 
respect  for  the  pacha,  I  can  not  keep  her  as  a  slave. 

141 


ABDALLAH 

This,  therefore,  is  what  I  propose  to  do :  if  there  is 
any  one  among  you  who  is  willing  to  marry  a  foreigner, 
I  will  give  her  to  him  with  a  fitting  dowry,  otherwise 
I  will  marry  her  to  some  rich  merchant  of  Medina  or 
Mecca." 

"God  is  great!"  cried  the  son  of  Yusuf,  seizing 
Hafiz's  arm.  "We  will  look  no  farther  for  the  four- 
leaved  shamrock.  It  is  here;  it  is  mine;  I  have  found 
happiness." 

"  Courage,  my  son !  "  said  the  old  man ;  "  it  is  needed 
even  to  be  happy.  I  do  not  think"  he  added,  looking 
at  the  sherif,  "  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  go  to  Mecca 
to  marry  the  stranger.  If  a  husband  only  is  needed, 
here  is  a  young  man  who  will  yield  to  no  one  either 
in  birth,  fortune  or  courage." 

"My  lord"  said  Omar,  bowing  low  to  the  sherif, 
"I  should  never  have  had  the  boldness  to  raise  my 
eyes  to  a  woman  confided  to  my  charge;  but  since 
things  have  changed,  and  you  permit  it,  I  venture  to 
aspire  to  the  hand  of  Leila.  She  is  a  slave  of  the 
pacha ;  from  her  childhood  she  has  been  accustomed 
to  the  ease  and  luxury  of  the  harem.  On  coming 
hither  she  dreamed  of  a  fortune  which  has  escaped 
her  grasp ;  who  knows  whether  tent -life  will  not  seem 
hard  to  her?  Wealth  is  a  necessity  to  a  woman  that 
has  always  lived  in  a  palace.  I  earnestly  entreat  your 
lordship,  therefore,  to  give  the  stranger  to  the  one 
that  shall  offer  the  largest  dowry;  it  will  be  a  last 
mark  of  kindness  to  her  who  owes  everything  to  your 
goodness." 

142 


ABDALLAH 

"The  request  is  just"  said  the  sherif.  "Bring  the 
Egyptian  hither.  Let  the  suitors  come  forward ;  I  will 
hear  their  proposals." 

"My  uncle,"  murmured  the  son  of  Yusuf,  "I  am 
lost!" 

"At  last"  said  Omar,  "Leila  is  mine!" 

Cafour  looked  at  the  two  brothers,  and  ran  to  the 
harem . 


143 


XXI 


THE  AUCTION 

HILE  the  slaves  went  in  search  of 
Leila,  Hafiz  approached  the  son  of 
Mansour.  "Omar"  said  he,  "listen  to 
an  old  man  who  has  dandled  you  on 
his  knees .  It  is  said  that  you  are  richer 
than  your  father;  women  bow  before 
your  fortune,  and  there  is  not  a  merchant  in  Egypt 
or  Syria  but  would  think  himself  honored  by  your 
alliance.  Abdallah,  on  the  contrary,  can  never  love 
another  woman ;  he  has  given  his  heart  to  her  whom 
he  has  saved.  Be  generous;  pay  to-day  the  debt  of 
gratitude  by  making  your  brother  and  Halima  happy." 
"My  brother  is  a  selfish  fellow,"  answered  Omar; 
"I  have  suffered  too  much  through  him  already.  He 
knows  that  I  wish  this  Egyptian  woman;  he  knows 
that  I  will  have  her  at  any  price ;  what  does  he  expect 
to  gain,  therefore,  by  declaring  himself  my  rival?  If 
I  should  lose  a  hundred  thousand  piastres,  of  what 
advantage  would  it  be  to  him?  Let  him  give  up  Leila, 
and  I  will  try  to  forget  that  this  very  day  he  has  put 
my  head  for  the  second  time  in  danger." 


144 


ABDALLAH 

"It  is  well  for  you  that  you  are  a  Mussulman"  said 
Hafiz,  "otherwise  we  would  teach  you  before  the  day 
was  over  that  an  ounce  of  lead  weighs  more  than  all 
your  gold;  but  you  have  not  succeeded,  as  you  think, 
and  with  the  aid  of  God,  we  will  confound  your  abom- 
inable selfishness." 

Omar  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  went  to  meet 
Leila.  She  had  just  entered,  concealed  from  all  eyes 
by  the  wrappings  which  enveloped  her,  yet  it  seemed 
to  poor  Abdallah  that  a  fiery  glance  shot  from  the 
thick  veil  which  he  could  scarce  withstand.  Cafour 
followed  her  mistress.  What  she  had  said  to  the  sul- 
tana none  could  tell,  but  she  had  on  her  neck  a  neck- 
lace of  pink  coral,  which  certainly  had  not  been  cut 
for  a  slave.  From  time  to  time  she  ran  to  a  latticed 
balcony  which  overlooked  the  room,  and  exchanged 
mysterious  words  with  invisible  figures.  The  whole 
harem  was  there,  deeply  interested  in  the  fair  Leila, 
and  perhaps  offering  up  prayers  for  the  son  of 
Yusuf. 

Abdallah  was  the  first  to  speak.  "  My  sole  fortune," 
said  he,  "is  the  spring  which  I  have  discovered,  and 
the  garden  which  I  have  planted.  With  my  father's 
arms  and  my  mare,  these  are  my  only  possessions. 
All  are  yours,  Leila,  if  you  will  accept  my  heart  and 
life." 

"They  are  not  worth  a  hundred  thousand  piastres" 
said  Omar,  coldly.  "Here  at  Taif  I  have  a  garden 
of  orange-trees  where  the  sherif  sometimes  does  me 
the  honor  to  take  coffee.  This  garden  is  worth  more 

145 


ABDALLAH 

than  two  hundred  thousand  piastres ;  I  offer  it  to  Leila 
in  pledge  for  a  like  sum  in  jewels." 

"Jewels !  "  said  Hafiz ;  "my  nephew  has  those  which 
are  as  rich  as  yours.  Here  is  a  casket  which  is  worth 
all  your  promises." 

To  the  general  astonishment,  the  old  shepherd, 
aided  by  Cafour,  opened  a  tortoise-shell  and  mother- 
of-pearl  basket,  filled  with  ear-rings,  bracelets,  and 
precious  stones.  Abdallah  could  not  repress  a  cry. 
Was  not  that  ruby  bracelet  the  one  which  Leila  wore 
on  her  arm  on  the  day  of  the  attack,  and  was  not 
that  coral  necklace  one  which  Cafour  had  just  snatched 
from  her  neck?  He  attempted  to  speak;  a  gesture 
of  his  uncle  stopped  him. 

"Beautiful  jewels  which  have  been  worn  already !  " 
said  the  son  of  Mansour,  biting  his  lip.  "  I  do  not  ask 
where  all  these  spoils  of  women  come  from,  which 
I  esteem  as  they  deserve;  but  my  generosity  shall 
not  be  outdone.  I  offer  three  hundred  thousand  pias- 
tres." 

"  Promising  is  not  giving"  interrupted  Hafiz ;  "some- 
thing more  than  words  is  needed." 

For  his  sole  reply,  Omar  drew  a  pocket-book  from 
his  girdle,  and  taking  from  it  several  papers,  handed 
them  to  the  sherif.  "My  lord"  said  he,  "these  are 
the  orders  which  you  sent  me  some  months  ago,  and 
which  are  already  filled.  They  are  worth  more  than 
a  million  piastres;  will  your  lordship  refuse  to  be 
his  slave's  security  till  to-morrow  to  these  exacting 
Bedouins?" 

146 


ABDALLAH 

"It  shall  be  as  you  desire,"  answered  the  sherif. 
"  I  will  be  your  security  for  a  hundred  thousand  pias- 
tres." 

"  If  this  sum  is  all  that  is  needed"  said  one  of  the 
Bedouins,  "we  will  not  leave  a  companion  in  trouble, 
and  will  give  a  lesson  to  this  merchant  who  forgets 
himself.  Here  are  our  sabres;  we  will  redeem  them 
with  a  hundred  thousand  piastres."  And  taking  off  his 
yataghan,  he  flung  it  at  the  sherif's  feet  with  a  con- 
temptuous glance  at  Omar,  while  Hafiz  approached  to 
do  the  same,  and  to  set  an  example  to  the  rest  of  the 
band . 

"Take  back  your  sabre"  said  the  Commander  of 
the  Faithful  to  the  Bedouin.  "I  will  be  security  for 
you  and  your  friends.  God  forbid  that  I  should  see 
you  disarmed  about  me,  you  who  are  my  strength  and 
rny  glory!  Omar"  he  added,  "before  making  new 
promises,  perhaps  you  would  do  well  to  reflect. 
Repentance  often  follows  satisfied  passion.  A  lost 
slave  can  be  replaced,  but  friends  lost  are  never  found 
again." 

"Commander  of  the  Faithful,"  proudly  rejoined  the 
son  of  Mansour,  "it  was  on  the  faith  of  your  word 
that  I  entered  into  this  business,  and  unless  you  com- 
mand me  to  stop,  I  will  carry  it  through.  I  fear  no 
one's  displeasure  but  yours.  And  to  put  an  end  at 
once  to  this  wrangling,  I  offer  a  million  piastres ;  it  is 
not  too  large  a  dowry  for  a  woman  whom  your  lordship 
has  honored  with  his  protection." 

"Are  you  rich  enough  to  commit  such  follies?  "  said 

147 


ABDALLAH 

the  descendant  of  the  Prophet.  "I  shall  remember 
it  on  the  first  occasion." 

"Command^  my  lord"  returned  the  merchant;  "my 
fortune  and  life  are  yours." 

A  deep  silence  followed.  Leila,  who  had  remained 
standing,  sunk  upon  a  divan;  Abdallah  cast  down  his 
head;  and  Hafiz  and  his  friends  threatened  Omar, 
who  braved  them  with  a  disdainful  air.  Cafour  began 
to  gesticulate  in  a  strange  manner  toward  the  balcony, 
and  disappeared.  All  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  sherif, 
who  evidently  hesitated. 

"I  have  given  my  word"  said  he  at  last,  slowly 
addressing  the  Bedouins;  "you  are  witnesses  that 
everything  has  been  done  in  an  impartial  manner. 
This  merchant,  your  companion  in  the  caravan,  offers 
a  million;  the  slave,  therefore,  must  belong  to  him 
if  none  of  you  offers  more." 

"Where  could  such  treasures  be  found  in  the  des- 
ert?" cried  Hafiz.  "Souls  sold  to  Satan  alone  possess 
this  infernal  wealth.  As  for  us,  we  have  nothing  but 
our  guns  and  sabres;  may  the  day  come  when  their 
value  will  be  felt !  " 

"You  forget  Abdallah's  jewels,"  said  Omar,  smiling. 

"Ah,  my  brother,"  cried  the  son  of  Yusuf,  "what 
have  I  done  that  you  should  treat  me  thus?  Ought 
you  to  be  the  one  to  plunge  a  dagger  into  my 
breast  ? " 

"What  is  this?"  asked  the  sherif  of  two  slaves  who 
laid  a  heavy  casket  of  chased  silver  at  the  feet  of 
Abdallah. 

148 


ABDALLAH 

"  My  lord,  it  is  the  treasure  of  the  son  of  Yusuf " 
answered  one  of  the  porters,  as  he  opened  the  casket 
and  took  up  handfuls  of  the  most  beautiful  precious 
stones  ever  seen,  which  at  the  first  glance  were  seen 
to  be  worth  more  than  a  million. 

"It  is  strange,"  thought  the  sherif,  "how  much  this 
diamond  tiara  and  these  topaz  bracelets  resemble  those 
I  gave  the  sultana.  Who  has  sent  you?"  he  asked 
the  slave. 

"My  lord"  replied  the  negro,  bowing,  "love  is  like 
madness ;  all  things  are  forgiven  it."  And  he  went  out. 

Abdallah  thought  himself  the  sport  of  a  dream. 
Omar  turned  pale  with  rage.  "There  is  some  snare 
here"  murmured  he;  "no  matter,  I  will  have  the  last 
word.  I  will  give  two  million  piastres,  if  necessary." 

Four  more  slaves,  heavily  laden  with  plate,  silver 
lamps,  and  chased  cups,  paused  like  the  first  before 
Abdallah,  and  laid  this  treasure  at  his  feet.  At  the 
first  glance,  the  sherif  recognized  a  magnificent 
epergne,  the  ornament  of  his  harem,  which  he  had 
received  as  a  present  from  the  sultan,  and  given, 
not  without  regret,  to  Fatima,  the  day  after  a  quar- 
rel. 

"Who  can  have  given  orders  to  bring  all  these  treas- 
ures hither?"  he  cried. 

"My  lord"  replied  the  porters,  bowing,  "love  is  like 
madness;  all  things  are  forgiven  it." 

"Let  these  knaves  be  bastinadoed"  said  the  Com- 
mander of  the  Faithful ;  "  I  will  teach  them  to  answer 
me  in  proverbs.  Who  sent  them?" 

149 


ABDALLAH 

"  My  lord,  it  was  Cafour,"  replied  one  of  the  slaves, 
in  a  tremulous  voice. 

"Bring  that  child  of  the  Devil  hither"  said  the 
sherif.  "  If  she  is  let  alone,  she  will  carry  off  my  whole 
palace." 

The  four  slaves  had  not  quitted  the  room  when  six 
more  entered,  carrying  a  litter  heaped  with  the  most 
costly  robes  and  the  richest  stuffs.  At  the  head  of  the 
procession  was  Cafour,  giving  orders  with  the  gravity 
of  an  imaum.  The  sherif  called  her,  and  taking  her 
by  the  ear,  "Come  hei*e,  wretch,"  said  he;  "once  for 
all,  will  you  tell  me  the  meaning  of  these  follies?" 

"  Love  is  like  madness ;  all  things  are  forgiven  it " 
answered  Cafour,  gravely. 

"Do  you  dare  to  mix  up  the  sultana  with  this  dis- 
order?" 

"The  sultana  is  there,"  rejoined  Cafour,  tranquilly, 
pointing  to  the  balcony;  "she  has  seen  and  heard 
everything;  she  knows  all,  and"  she  added,  lowering 
her  voice,  "she  is  furious." 

"Furious?  and  at  what?  "  cried  the  astounded  sherif. 

"She  knows"  continued  Cafour,  "that  you  regret 
having  sacrificed  Leila ;  she  has  guessed  the  part  played 
by  this  merchant,  who  is  bidding  in  your  name ;  she 
feels  that  passion  alone  could  hurry  you  away  so  far 
as  to  make  you  humble  these  brave  Bedouins,  who 
are  the  honor  of  your  empire.  '  Since  he  loves  me  no 
longer^  she  said,  '  I  want  no  more  of  his  favors;  take 
away  from  my  sight  the  jewels  which  he  has  given  me, 
and  the  robes  with  which  I  delighted  in  adorning 

150 


ABDALLAH 

myself  to  please  him.  Carry  all  to  Abdallah;  let  him 
contend  for  me  to  the  last  moment.  If  the  master 
of  my  soul  return  to  me,  what  need  have  I  of  riches? 
If  he  abandon  me,  I  wish  to  keep  nothing  but  the 
memory  of  his  love.'" 

The  sherif  looked  at  the  balcony  somewhat  ill- 
humoredly.  He  fancied  that  he  spied  through  the 
lattice  a  little  hand  tearing  a  lace  handkerchief  in 
pieces,  and  the  sound  of  tears  and  stifled  sobs  made 
him  cast  down  his  head.  That  instant  he  became 
conscious  that  the  friendship  of  the  Beni  Amurs  was 
worth  more  to  him  than  the  gratitude  of  Omar,  and 
decided  on  his  course. 

"I  will  not  be  made  an  accomplice  of  unworthy 
weaknesses"  said  he,  in  a  solemn  voice.  "I  never 
take  back  a  promise  which  I  have  made.  I  wished  to 
secui'e  a  suitable  dowry  to  this  woman,  who  is  under 
my  protection;  a  hundred  thousand  piastres  is  suffi- 
cient. As  to  deciding  between  the  rivals,  that  belongs 
to  Leila.  Let  her  take  the  merchant  or  the  Bedouin, 
the  city  or  the  desert,  it  matters  little  to  me.  I  shall 
respect  her  choice,  and  force  all  others  to  do  the  same." 

"Neither  David  nor  Solomon  could  have  judged 
more  righteously"  cried  Hafiz. 

The  two  brothers  stood  by  the  side  of  Leila. 
Abdallah  gazed  at  her  with  deep  tenderness,  and  was 
mute  with  hope  and  fear.  Omar  spoke,  moved  with 
anger  and  jealousy. 

"Think  of  the  future"  said  he;  "do  not  sacrifice  to 
this  man  the  flower  of  your  youth  and  beauty.  Do  you 

151 


ABDALLAH 

know  the  life  of  women  in  the  tents? — a  beggarly 
and  slavish  existence.  Are  your  hands  made  to  grind 
corn,  milk  sheep,  weave  cloth,  and  gather  grass  and 
sticks?  Will  this  Bedouin  give  you  the  baths,  jewels, 
and  perfumes  to  which  you  are  accustomed?  Will  he 
dye  your  eyebrows  and  eyelids?  Will  he  wash  your 
tresses  with  orange-flower  water,  and  dry  them  with 
musk  and  amber?  With  me,  you  will  have  women  to 
wait  on  you,  robes  to  deck  you,  and  jewels  to  adorn 
you.  You  will  not  be  a  servant,  but  a  mistress;  each 
of  your  caprices  will  be  a  law  and  a  pleasure  to 
me." 

Leila  bowed,  took  the  trembling  hand  of  Abdallah, 
and  placed  it  on  her  head.  "  I  am  my  lord's  slave  "  she 
said.  "A  stranger,  I  have  no  other  refuge  than  he ;  an 
orphan,  I  have  no  other  family.  He  is  my  father,  my 
mother,  and  my  brother.  Oh,  my  beloved,"  she  added 
in  a  low  voice,  raising  her  eyes,  "at  last  I  am  thine, 
and  can  tell  thee  that  thou  art  my  joy  and  my  life." 
And  smiling  and  weeping  at  the  same  time,  she  kissed 
the  hand  of  her  husband. 

The  Commander  of  the  Faithful  gazed  delightedly 
at  this  spectacle,  which  renewed  his  youth.  "It  is 
rather  a  hard  lesson  for  Fatima"  thought  he;  "but  I 
am  not  sorry  for  having  confounded  the  sultana.  She 
will  be  cured  for  some  time  of  her  incurable  jeal- 
ousy." 

Omar  was  mute;  his  contracted  features,  his  threat- 
ening eyes,  everything  about  him  betrayed  the  conflict 
of  grief  and  pride. 

152 


ABDALLAH 

"Son  of  Mansour"  said  Hafiz,  "you  should  marry 
Cafour.  Your  soul  is  as  black  as  her  skin ;  you  would 
have  children  worthy  of  their  grandfather  Satan." 

"You  are  cruel,  my  uncle"  exclaimed  the  son  of 
Yusuf.  "If  Omar  had  been  in  my  place,  he  would 
have  spared  us.  My  brother"  he  added,  extending 
his  hand  to  the  Egyptian,  "forgive  me  my  happiness." 

"You  are  shrewder  than  I;  I  congratulate  you  on 
your  success"  answered  Omar.  And  he  quitted  the 
room  in  despair. 

"What  a  fine  thing  is  youth!"  said  Hafiz;  "how 
honest !  how  confiding !  what  faith  in  virtue !  As  for 
me,  I  am  old,  and  have  been  in  battle.  When  I  find 
a  wicked  man  under  my  feet,  I  crush  him  like  a  scor- 
pion, that  he  may  sting  me  no  more." 


153 


XXII 


THE  ARRIVAL 

is  easier  to  retain  wealth  in  the  hand 
of  a  prodigal,  or  to  carry  water  in  a 
sieve,  than  to  lodge  patience  in  the 
heart  of  a  lover.  The  day  had  not 
dawned  and  the  bird  had  not  quitted 
its  nest  when  the  son  of  Yusuf  awak- 
ened his  companions,  and  arranged  in  a  long  file  the 
camels  loaded  with  the  gifts  of  the  sherif  and  the 
sultana. 

He  impatiently  awaited  his  beloved,  whom  Fatima 
had  kept  with  her  all  night,  that  she  might  tell  her 
the  story  of  her  love.  A  woman  always  loves  the  rival 
that  she  has  ceased  to  fear. 

When  Cafour  opened  the  door  of  the  harem  and 
showed  herself,  uglier  and  more  smiling  than  ever, 
Abdallah  uttered  a  cry  of  surprise  and  joy.  Could 
the  woman  behind  the  child,  who  stretched  out  her 
hand  to  him,  really  be  Leila? 

It  was  she, — a  lover  could  not  be  mistaken;  yet  it 
was  no  longer  the  Egyptian  loaded  with  jewels,  but 
a  Bedouin  who  had  always  lived  in  the  tents.  Leila 


154 


ABDALLAH 

was  clad  in  a  long  blue  cotton  robe,  which  was  gath- 
ered ai-ound  the  neck  and  fell  to  the  feet.  Over  this 
robe  was  a  red  woollen  burnoose,  which  covered  her 
head . 

Her  black  tresses,  arranged  in  numerous  small 
braids,  each  ending  in  a  coral  bead,  fell  to  her  eyes, 
and  added  to  the  softness  and  brilliancy  of  her  glance. 
In  this  simple  costume,  with  her  head  uncovered,  and 
her  feet  bare,  Leila  was  the  queen  of  the  desert.  The 
delighted  Bedouins  saluted  her  as  she  passed,  as  fresh 
and  smiling  as  the  dawn. 

They  set  out.  A  recent  storm  had  revived  nature; 
the  grass,  wet  with  dew,  and  the  freshly  opened  flow- 
ers smiled  on  these  happy  hearts.  Leila  no  longer 
hid  herself  in  the  back  of  the  palanquin ;  Abdallah 
rode  beside  her,  talking  all  the  way,  with  his  hand 
on  the  side  of  the  litter.  Cafour  had  never  been  more 
talkative  and  saucy. 

"Oh,  Abdallah,"  said  Leila,  "if  you  bear  so  hard  on 
the  side  of  the  litter,  you  will  overturn  it  and  throw 
us  both  on  the  ground." 

"Well,  let  go  the  camel's  rein,  then;  don't  refuse 
me  the  pleasure  of  holding  your  hand." 

"Ingrate!  "  cried  Cafour,  "you  have  quite  forgotten 
me.  So,  black  Bedouin,  you  are  carrying  off  the  wife 
of  the  Calif  Moyawiah !  " 

And  with  a  joyous  voice,  she  struck  up  the  Bedouin 
girl's  song : l  — 

1  The  song  of  the  beautiful  Bedouin  girl  Moyawiah  is  renowned 
among  the  Arabs.  See  Burton's  "  Personal  Narrative  of  a  Pilgrimage 
to  El  Medina  and  Mecca." 

155 


ABDALLAH 

"Oh,  take  these  purple  robes  away; 

Give  back  my  cloak  of  camel's  hair, 
And  bear  me  from  this  towering  pile 

To  where  the  black  tents  flap  in  air. 
The  camel's  colt,  with  faltering  tread, 

The  dog  that  all  but  barks  at  me, 
Delight  me  more  than  ambling  mules, 

Than  every  art  of  minstrelsy. 
And  any  cousin,  poor  but  free, 

Might  take  me,  fatted  ass,  from  thee." 

They  went  on  thus  the  whole  day,  unconscious  of 
heat  or  fatigue.  When  joy  follows  suffering,  do  we 
think  of  aught  else  than  joy?  Hafiz,  besides,  was 
there  to  lead  the  caravan,  and  Abdallah  did  not  need 
to  quit  the  treasure  that  the  Bedouins  were  bringing 
back  in  triumph. 

Night  was  approaching  when  they  came  in  sight 
of  the  tents  of  the  Beni  Amurs.  The  sun  was  setting 
beneath  the  arch  of  an  immense  rainbow  that  spanned 
half  the  sky,  a  roseate  light  illumined  the  sands  of 
the  desert,  and  golden  rays  flashed  their  gleams  on 
the  summit  of  the  granite  pyramids.  In  the  distance 
were  heard  the  shrill  cry  of  the  sakiah,  the  barking 
of  the  dogs,  and  the  cooing  of  the  pigeons.  Suddenly 
a  piercing  shout  announced  the  return  of  the  travellers. 

"What  cry  is  that?"  asked  Leila. 

"It  is  my  mother's  voice"replied  Abdallah,  dismount- 
ing from  his  horse.  "You  will  have  two  to  love  you." 

Halima  soon  appeared,  greatly  astonished  at  the 
sight  of  so  long  a  caravan.  "What  are  these?"  said 
she,  pointing  to  the  packages.  "  Has  the  son  of  Yusuf 
sold  his  horse  and  arms  to  turn  merchant?" 

156 


ABDALLAH 

"  Yes,  my  mother,"  answered  Abdallah ;  "and  I  bring 
you  the  rarest  and  choicest  of  wares,  —  a  daughter  to 
respect  and  assist  you." 

Leila  alighted  from  the  litter  and  threw  herself  into 
the  arms  of  Halima,  who  looked  at  her  with  astonish- 
ment, and  asked  the  name  of  her  father  and  tribe. 
She  was  not  less  surprised  at  the  sight  of  Cafour,  and 
despite  all  Hafiz's  speeches,  returned  to  the  tent  with 
a  sign.  She  had  little  liking  for  a  stranger  woman. 
But  when  Abdallah  came  and  seated  himself  by  her 
side  after  unloading  the  camels,  and  Leila  hastened 
with  a  basin  of  warm  water  to  wash  her  husband's 
feet  herself,  "God  be  praised!"  cried  Halima;  "this 
woman  will  be  truly  a  handmaid  unto  her  husband. 
My  house  has  at  last  found  a  mistress;  I  can  die  in 
peace."  And  she  tenderly  embraced  the  daughter 
whom  God  had  given  her  in  his  goodness. 

"What  is  the  matter,  master?"  said  Cafour,  who 
was  lying  at  Abdallah's  feet,  with  her  head  resting  on 
her  preserver's  lap.  "  Has  the  smoke  of  your  pipe  got 
into  your  eyes?  You  look  as  if  you  were  crying.  Oh, 
your  pipe  has  gone  out ;  will  you  have  a  coal  to  light  it  ? " 

"Hush!  hush!"  said  the  Bedouin,  stroking  the 
negress's  head  as  if  caressing  a  faithful  dog.  The  child 
lay  down  again,  at  the  same  time  jerking  her  mistress's 
arm  so  suddenly  that  Leila's  forehead  came  in  contact 
with  Abdallah's  lips.  Cafour  laughed  at  the  success 
of  her  stratagem.  Poor  creature !  to  whom  everything 
was  denied,  and  who  found  means  to  be  happy  by 
placing  her  happiness  in  that  of  others. 

157 


KAHA    SHITAN 

MAR  had  returned  to  Djiddah  with 
despair  in  his  heart.  It  was  in  vain 
that  his  slaves  tried  to  divert  him; 
it  was  in  vain  that  business  and  gold 
poured  in  on  him  from  all  sides;  his 
passion  consumed  him.  He  passed 
whole  days  in  his  chamber,  sitting  cross-legged  on  a 
carpet,  revolving  impossible  projects  in  his  brain,  and 
seeking  for  a  vengeance  which  escaped  him. 

"Of  what  avail  is  my  father's  wish  to  me?  "  he  cried. 
"Of  what  use  is  my  health  and  the  money  that  I  have 
accumulated?  Am  I  any  the  less,  on  that  account, 
the  most  unhappy  of  men?  That  wretched  Bedouin, 
in  his  poverty,  triumphs  over  me.  I  am  lonely  and 
desolate  in  the  midst  of  my  abundance.  Accursed  be 
life!  accursed  be  my  brother!  The  oracle  has  not 
deceived  me;  I  am  slain  by  my  best  friend."  And  he 
relapsed  into  his  despair. 

The  grief  of  Omar  was  the  talk  of  the  whole  city. 
If  little  love  was  felt  for  the  son  of  Mansour,  on  the 
other  hand  his  fortune  was  greatly  esteemed.  Was 


158 


ABDALLAH 

there  not  some  service  to  offer,  or  some  consolation  to 
sell  him?  it  was  asked.  After  such  an  insult,  he  would 
well  reward  whosoever  should  avenge  him  on  the 
Bedouin.  Such  words  are  not  lost.  It  is  the  curse  of 
the  rich  that  there  are  those  around  them  ready  to 
enter  the  fires  of  hell  in  their  behalf.  The  passions 
of  the  poor  are  flames  which  consume  the  heart,  and 
then  quickly  die  out;  the  passions  of  the  rich  are  a 
brazier,  fed  by  all  about  it,  and  giving  forth  conflagra- 
tion, crime,  and  death. 

One  morning  the  son  of  Mansour  received  a  visit 
from  an  Arnaut  captain,  who  came,  he  said,  on  import- 
ant business  that  would  suffer  no  delay.  Omar  received 
him  politely,  and  ordered  pipes  and  coffee  to  be  served . 

"Capital  coffee!"  said  the  captain,  sipping  it  slowly; 
"as  bitter  as  death,  as  black  as  Satan,  and  as  hot  as 
Hades.  And  what  an  exquisite  mixture  of  nutmeg, 
cinnamon,  and  clove !  What  a  fine  thing  it  is  to  be 
rich!  the  world  seems  to  move  for  you  alone." 

"Men  are  sometimes  mistaken  about  the  happiness 
of  the  rich,"  said  Omar,  sighing. 

"  Bah !  a  rich  man  in  sorrow  is  a  miser  who  knows 
not  how  to  use  his  gold.  If  he  loves  a  woman,  let  him 
buy  her;  if  he  wishes  to  be  rid  of  a  rival,  let  him  sell 
his  skin.  Everything  can  be  bought  here  on  earth; 
with  money  a  man  can  have  everything." 

"To  whom  have  I  the  honor  of  speaking?"  asked 
the  son  of  Mansour. 

"My  name  is  Kara  Shitan"  replied  the  stranger. 
"I  am  an  Arnaut  chief,  — one  of  those  who  attacked 

159 


ABDALLAH 

you  in  the  desert.  By  killing  my  friend  Mohammed, 
your  brother  Abdallah  made  me  lose  five  thousand 
douros ;  pay  me  this  sum  and  I  will  rid  you  of  Abdallah." 

"A  murder!  "  said  Omar. 

"  Bah !  "  rejoined  the  captain,  coldly ;  "  if  God  had 
not  invented  death,  it  would  not  be  long  before  we 
should  eat  each  other.  Away  with  false  scruples! 
When  an  occasion  offers,  wisdom  commands  us  not  to 
let  it  slip.  It  is  just  to  force  our  enemies  to  drink  the 
bitter  cup  which  they  have  made  us  taste;  we  are 
right  in  striking  them  with  the  weapon  with  which 
they  were  the  first  to  wound  us." 

"My  brother!  "  said  Omar,  in  a  hesitating  tone. 

"Your  brother  and  your  enemy.  What  matters  his 
death  to  you?  you  will  have  no  hand  in  it.  I  shall  kill 
Abdallah  like  a  dog  if  I  find  him  in  the  desert.  I  shall 
avenge  my  own  quarrel;  only,  in  order  to  avenge 
myself,  I  must  have  five  thousand  douros." 

"Of  what  use  will  your  vengeance  be  to  me?"  said 
the  son  of  Mansour. 

"I  know  nothing  about  it,"  replied  Kara  Shitan. 
"I  don't  understand  business  as  well  as  you  do;  but 
if  I  were  in  your  place,  and  Abdallah  should  disappear, 
I  should  find  no  trouble  in  gaining  possession  of  the 
beautiful  Leila.  The  Bedouin,  it  is  said,  has  no  family 
but  his  mother  and  an  old  dotard ;  a  little  courage  and 
resolution  will  remove  these  obstacles.  An  abduction 
is  an  easy  matter;  Leila  once  a  widow  and  in  your 
house,  it  will  not  take  long  to  console  her.  What  is 
there  to  fear?  The  sherif  ?  At  Djiddah,  men  laugh 

160 


ABDALLAH 

at  the  anger  of  the  Bedouins.  The  pacha?  He  is  a 
man  like  the  rest  of  us;  he  has  a  conscience,  and  we 
know  its  price." 

"And  the  tribe  — have  you  thought  of  that?" 

"The  tribe  is  nothing"  said  the  captain.  "I  know 
that  these  Bedouins  have  as  much  rancor  and  malice 
as  their  camels;  but  blood  can  be  bought  as  well  as 
other  things.  Money  is  not  despised  in  the  desert 
any  more  than  anywhere  else,  and  the  Beni  Amurs 
will  console  themselves  with  Abdallah's  inheritance." 

"Yes,"  returned  Omar,  "blood  can  be  ransomed 
when  the  murder  is  involuntary.  A  hundred  camels 
is  the  price  of  a  man's  blood ;  but  there  is  no  compo- 
sition for  murder,  and  I  shall  suffer  death." 

"The  desert  is  mute"  said  the  captain,  "and  dead 
men  tell  no  tales.  He  who  finds  a  shrivelled  corpse 
among  the  sands  must  be  shrewd  indeed  if  he  can 
distinguish  a  murder  from  an  accident.  But  we  will 
say  no  more  about  it,"  added  he,  rising.  "What  is  the 
charming  Leila,  whom  I  have  never  beheld,  to  me? 
Let  her  love  her  Bedouin;  let  them  be  happy  together 
and  laugh  at  the  son  of  Mansour,  —  it  is  all  the  same 
to  me.  After  all,  Abdallah  is  a  brave  man,  and  I 
respect  him ;  if  you  had  inflicted  on  him  the  outrage 
which  you  have  received,  he  would  not  haggle  about 
the  price  of  vengeance.  Farewell." 

"Stay !  "  cried  the  son  of  Mansour;  "you  are  right. 
While  Abdallah  lives  there  is  no  security  for  me  on 
earth ;  it  was  predicted  to  me  at  my  birth,  and  I  feel 
it  daily.  Deliver  me  from  this  enemy.  As  to  the 

161 


ABDALLAH 

cripple,  I  have  an  account  to  settle  with  him  which  I 
will  attend  to  myself.  Leila,  you  will  cost  me  dear !  " 

"If  you  take  my  advice"  resumed  the  captain,  "we 
shall  both  strike  at  the  same  time.  I  will  entice  away 
Abdallah,  never  more  to  return,  and  you  shall  carry 
off  the  lady ;  all  will  be  done  in  two  hours,  and  the 
enemy  overthrown  even  before  he  suspects  the  danger." 

"So  be  it"  said  Omar;  "but  remember  that  I  never 
wish  to  see  your  face  again." 

"That  is  very  natural,"  replied  Kara  Shitan.  "Tell 
me  the  day  and  hour,  give  me  the  five  thousand  douros, 
and  rely  on  my  punctuality.  My  reputation  is  made; 
I  would  not  fail  to  keep  my  word  for  the  finest  horses 
in  Arabia." 


162 


XXIV 


HOSPITALITY 

HHILE  avarice  and  hatred  were  plotting 
Abdullah's  death,  the  son  of  Yusuf  was 
enjoying  his  happiness  without  dream- 
ing of  a  cloud  in  the  horizon.  Could 
he  suspect  that  he  had  an  enemy  when 
his  soul  was  so  pure  and  his  heart  so 
free  from  bitterness?  He  who  loves  and  is  beloved 
looks  on  all  men  as  his  brethren.  For  a  month  he  had 
been  intoxicated  with  joy  and  tenderness,  with  no 
other  care  than  that  of  admiring  Leila  and  thanking 
God  for  having  blessed  his  house. 

In  one  of  those  hot,  misty  mornings  which  precede 
a  storm,  Abdallah  was  reposing  in  his  garden  in  the 
shade  of  the  citron-trees.  Cafour  carelessly  lay  at  his 
feet,  her  eyes  fixed  on  him  like  a  dog  watching  for 
an  order  or  a  glance.  At  the  back  of  the  tent  Halima 
was  baking  loaves  in  the  ashes,  while  Leila,  seated 
before  a  loom,  was  embroidering  gold  and  silver  loz- 
enges on  her  husband's  burnoose.  The  son  of  Yusuf 
abandoned  himself  to  the  happiness  of  living  sur- 
rounded by  all  whom  he  loved.  The  barking  of  the 


163 


ABDALLAH 

dogs  roused  him  from  his  re  very.  A  man  had  stopped 
his  camel  at  the  garden  gate,  and  was  stretching  out 
his  hand  to  the  young  Bedouin.  Leila  disappeared, 
and  Abdallah  went  to  meet  the  stranger. 

"Welcome!"  said  he;  "thy  arrival  brings  us  the 
blessing  of  God.  The  house  and  all  it  contains  are 
thine ;  thou  art  the  master  thereof." 

"Son  of  Yusuf]' answered  the  stranger,  "I  will  not 
set  foot  on  the  ground  till  thou  hast  sworn  to  render 
me  the  service  of  which  I  am  in  need." 

"Speak;  said  Abdallah.  "Thou  art  a  guest;  thy 
word  is  a  command." 

"I  am  a  poor  merchant  from  Syria,"  resumed  the 
stranger.  "I  have  been  to  Mecca  on  business.  Yester- 
day I  was  drawn  into  a  quarrel  in  the  Holy  City  with 
a  Beni  Motayr,  and  had  the  misfortune  to  kill  my 
adversary.  His  family  and  friends  are  pursuing  me; 
I  have  no  one  to  defend  me.  If  I  can  not  reach  the 
noble  Medina,  I  am  lost.  You  alone,  it  is  said,  can 
conduct  me  thither  in  safety.  My  life  is  in  your  hands; 
decide  my  fate." 

"Enter  my  tent;  replied  the  son  of  Yusuf.  "In  two 
hours  we  will  set  out." 

"  Remember;  said  the  merchant,  "that  I  trust  myself 
to  you  alone." 

"I  alone  will  accompany  you]'  returned  Abdallah. 
"I  answer  for  your  safety  on  my  head." 

No  sooner  had  the  stranger  been  brought  into  the 
tent  and  confided  to  the  care  of  Halima  than  the 
young  Bedouin  went  out  to  prepare  for  departure. 

164 


ABDALLAH 

Cafour  stopped  him  on  the  way.  "Do  you  know  this 
man?"  said  she. 

"No;  what  matters  it?  It  was  God  that  sent  him 
hither." 

"He  is  not  a  merchant, —  I  have  seen  his  pistols; 
they  are  too  handsome.  He  is  a  soldier.  Beware  of 
him ! " 

"Soldier  or  merchant,  what  have  I  to  fear  from  a 
stranger  and  a  fugitive?"  returned  Abdallah.  "Make 
haste  and  prepare  supper;  I  have  only  time  to  tell 
Leila  of  the  journey." 

When  the  son  of  Yusuf  returned  to  his  guest,  Cafour 
had  spread  the  table  with  unleavened  bread,  pressed 
dates,  boiled  rice,  new  milk,  and  cold  water.  She 
bustled  about  him  and  gazed  at  him  earnestly,  trying 
to  recall  where  she  had  seen  this  face,  which  seemed 
familiar  to  her.  The  stranger  was  perfectly  calm  and 
indifferent.  In  her  anxiety,  she  determined  to  arouse 
him  and  break  the  charm  that  hid  the  danger.  Seiz- 
ing an  earthen  vase,  she  placed  herself  behind  the 
pretended  merchant,  and  threw  it  on  the  ground, 
shivering  it  in  pieces;  the  stranger  looked  angrily 
around. 

"The  Arnaut!"  cried  she,  looking  at  her  master. 

"Begone! "  said  Abdallah,  "and  do  not  trouble  me 
with  your  follies." 

Cafour  glided  to  a  corner  of  the  tent,  and  soon 
returned  with  boiling  tea.  The  stranger  was  perfectly 
tranquil;  the  word  "Arnaut"  had  not  moved  him. 

"My  guest"  said  Abdallah,  "welcome  to  this  poor 

165 


ABDALLAH 

table.  The  journey  will  be  long,  and  it  is  good  to 
strengthen  yourself  against  the  fatigue  to  come.  Sat- 
isfy your  hunger." 

"Excuse  me"  replied  the  merchant;  "my  anxiety 
and  fatigue  have  given  me  a  fever,  and  I  have  but  one 
desire, — to  set  out  on  my  way." 

"Salt  is  good  for  the  appetite"  said  Cafour,  and 
taking  a  handful  of  salt,  she  thrust  it  into  the  strangers 
mouth  and  fled  to  the  garden. 

"Wretch!"  cried  Abdallah,  "I  will  chastise  your 
insolence !  "  as  he  rushed  furiously  after  Cafour  to  pun- 
ish her. 

"Strike,"  said  Cafour,  weeping,  "strike  the  dog  that 
warns  you,  and  caress  the  jackal  that  will  devour  you. 
Did  you  not  hear  the  dogs  howl  this  morning?  they 
saw  Azrael.  Madman,  your  sins  blind  you;  death  is 
hovering  over  this  house.  Do  you  not  know  that 
merchant?" 

"A  guest  is  above  suspicion,"  interrupted  Abdallah; 
and  returning  to  the  tent,  he  found  the  stranger  seated 
in  the  same  place,  with  a  smile  on  his  lips. 

"The  slave  has  given  me  a  lesson  in  politeness," 
said  he.  "  The  beard  of  the  guest  is  in  the  hand  of  the 
master  of  the  tent;  I  will  endeavor  to  do  honor  to 
your  hospitality." 

He  fell  to  eating  with  an  excellent  appetite  for  a 
sick  man,  talking  freely  and  seeking  every  means  to 
be  agreeable  to  Abdallah. 

At  the  moment  of  departure,  when  the  stranger 
was  already  mounted,  Leila  came  out,  with  her  face 

166 


ABDALLAH 

half  concealed  in  her  burnoose,  holding  a  pitcher  in 
her  hand,  from  which  she  sprinkled  a  few  drops  of 
water  on  the  feet  and  haunches  of  the  camel.  "  May 
God  give  thee  a  good  journey"  said  she,  "and  conduct 
thee  back  in  safety  to  those  who  love  and  watch  for 
thee ! " 

"Those  who  love  me  are  under  ground,"  answered 
the  stranger;  "and  since  I  lost  my  mother,  twenty 
years  ago,  no  one  has  watched  for  me." 

"Then  may  God  give  thee  a  wife  to  love  thee  and 
grow  old  by  thy  side !  " 

"Let  us  go,"  said  the  stranger,  abruptly;  "the 
moments  are  numbered." 

"My  lord"  said  Leila  to  her  husband,  "thou  bearest 
happiness  away  with  thee ;  mayest  thou  soon  bring  it 
back  again !  " 

Cafour  was  by  Abdallah's  side.  "Master"  said  she, 
"don't  you  take  your  gun?" 

"No,  it  would  be  an  insult  to  him  whom  I  accom- 
pany. Fear  nothing;  he  whom  God  guards  is  well 
guarded.  When  my  uncle  returns  from  the  fields,  tell 
him  to  watch  over  the  tent.  Next  to  God  it  is  to  him 
that  I  trust  you." 

And  taking  his  lance  in  his  hand,  Abdallah  set  out 
on  his  way,  walking  by  the  side  of  the  stranger's 
camel. 

Halima  and  Leila  followed  the  travellers  with  their 
eyes  as  long  as  they  could  see  them,  then  returned 
to  the  tent. 

Cafour  alone  remained  outside,  with  fixed  gaze  and 

16'7 


ABDALLAH 

trembling  heart.  It  seemed  to  her  that  the  horizon 
was  about  to  open  and  the  desert  to  give  back  the 
master  for  whom  she  watched.  Vain  hope  of  an  anxious 
soul!  Night  fell  on  the  earth  without  bringing 
Abdallah. 


168 


XXV 


THE  GOLDEN  LEAF 

sooner  had  they  plunged  into  the 
sands  than  the  stranger  looked  around 
him  to  be  certain  that  he  was  alone, 
and  began  to  play  with  the  handle  of 
his  pistol.  "I  hope,  my  dear  guest" 
said  Abdallah,  "that  you  will  par- 
don the  folly  of  that  child  who  disturbed  your 
repose." 

"If  the  slave  had  been  mine,  I  should  have  pun- 
ished her  severely"  answered  the  traveller. 

"We  should  be  indulgent  to  those  who  love  us," 
returned  Abdallah.  "Cafour  thought  me  threatened 
with  some  great  danger;  it  was  to  save  me  from  this 
imaginary  peril  that  she  involuntarily  offended  you .  By 
forcing  you  to  eat  my  salt,  she  has  made  us  friends 
for  life  and  death.  Is  not  this  the  case  among  you 
Syrians?" 

"In  my  tribe,"  said  the  stranger,  "the  obligation 
lasts  for  one  day.  But  if  the  second  day  passes  with- 
out partaking  of  the  same  dish,  the  salt  loses  its  virtue, 
and  we  are  free  to  hate  each  other." 


169 


ABDALLAH 

"Well,  my  guest"  replied  Abdallah,  smiling,  "you 
shall  kill  me  to-morrow  after  I  have  saved  your  life. 
Until  then  I  am  in  your  keeping;  it  is  your  duty  to 
protect  me  against  all  men." 

"So  I  will"  returned  the  stranger,  then  was  silent. 
"  These  are  strange  words  "  thought  he .  "  The  Bedouin 
is  right;  I  can  not  kill  him  while  the  salt  of  hospitality 
is  still  in  my  stomach,— it  would  be  a  crime.  I  will 
wait  till  evening.  When  the  sun  sets,  another  day 
will  begin,  and  I  shall  have  the  right  to  do  as  I 
like." 

All  along  the  way  he  gazed  at  Abdallah,  who  went 
on  with  an  erect  head  and  calm  brow.  The  Bedouin's 
pistols  were  not  loaded,  and  if  he  carried  a  lance  in 
his  hand,  it  was  only  to  aid  him  in  walking. 

"This  man's  confidence  hampers  me,"  said  the  stran- 
ger to  himself.  "I  would  gladly  fell  an  enemy;  I 
can  not  slaughter  a  sheep.  Five  thousand  douros  for 
such  a  task  is  not  enough;  I  would  rather  kill  that 
dog  of  an  Omar  for  half  the  price ." 

When  the  sun  was  near  setting,  the  merchant  urged 
on  his  camel  in  order  to  prepare  his  weapons  without 
being  seen  by  Abdallah;  then,  hiding  his  arms  under 
his  burnoose,  he  paused.  "Well"  thought  he,  "the 
moment  has  come." 

As  he  turned  round,  the  son  of  Yusuf  approached 
him,  seized  the  camel  by  the  bridle,  and  thrusting 
his  lance  into  the  ground,  spread  two  carpets  on  the 
sand.  "My  brother"  said  he,  "this  is  the  hour  of 
prayer.  The  keblah  is  before  us,  and  if  we  have  no 

170 


ABDALLAH 

water  for  our  ablutions,  you  know  that  the  Prophet 
permits  us  to  use  the  sand  of  the  desert." 

"I  have  no  time  to  waste  here;  let  us  go  on"  cried 
the  stranger. 

"Are  you  not  a  Mussulman?  "  said  Abdallah,  looking 
at  him  with  a  threatening  air. 

"There  is  no  god  but  God,  and  Mohammed  is  his 
prophet"  the  merchant  hastened  to  reply.  "But  the 
religion  of  a  poor  pilgrim  like  me  is  simpler  than  that 
of  a  noble  Bedouin.  I  do  not  pray,  because  all  that 
God  does  he  does  well ;  I  do  not  wash  my  face,  because 
I  need  the  water  of  the  desert  to  drink ;  I  do  not  give 
alms,  because  I  ask  them ;  I  do  not  fast  in  the  month 
of  Ramadan,  because  I  famish  with  hunger  all  the 
year  round;  and  I  do  not  go  on  pilgrimages,  because 
the  whole  earth  is  the  house  of  God.  This  is  my  faith ; 
so  much  the  worse  for  those  who  are  too  nice  to  like  it." 

"You  surprise  me,  my  dear  guest,"  resumed  the 
son  of  Yusuf .  "  I  had  a  different  opinion  of  you .  Do 
you  not  wear,  like  myself,  an  amulet  on  your  arm  to 
drive  away  the  temptations  of  the  Evil  Spirit?  Do 
you  not  know  that  it  contains  the  two  saving  chapters  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  wear  a  talisman,"  said  the  stranger.  "My 
mother  gave  it  to  me  twenty  years  ago  on  her  dying 
bed.  It  is  the  only  thing  that  I  respect;  more  than 
once  it  has  turned  aside  the  death  that  was  whistling 
about  me." 

"  Have  you  forgotten  the  words  that  make  the  vir- 
tue of  this  treasure?" 

"I  have  never  troubled  myself  about  them.     My 

171 


ABDALLAH 

mother  chose  them  for  me;  she  knew  that  of  which 
I  am  ignorant." 

"  Hearken  to  them"  said  Abdallah,  solemnly. 
"When  a  man  lives  in  the  midst  of  these  sands  which 
may  overwhelm  him  at  a  breath,  it  is  good  to  draw 
nigh  by  prayer  to  Him  who  alone  rules  the  danger." 

And  bending  toward  Mecca,  the  son  of  Yusuf 
repeated,  with  emotion,  the  chapter  of  the  Koran 
entitled  the 

DAYBREAK. 

"In  the  name  of  the  clement  and  merciful  God, 
Say,  I  fly  for  refuge  unto  the  Lord  of  the  DAYBREAK  ; 
From  the  mischief  of  the  beings  whom  he  has  created; 
From  the  mischief  of  the  night  when  it  cometh  on, 
From  the  mischief  of  the  envious,  who  beareth  us  envy!' 

"Peace  be  upon  thee! "  cried  the  merchant.  "Are 
those  the  words  which  my  mother  left  me?  "  and  while 
listening  to  Abdallah,  he  replaced  the  pistols  in  his 
belt. 

The  son  of  Yusuf  continued  to  recite  the  Koran : 

MEN. 

"  In  the  name  of  the  clement  and  merciful  God, 
Say,  I  fly  for  refuge  unto  the  Lord  of  MEN, 
The  King  of  men, 
The  God  of  men ; 
From  the  mischief  of  him  who  suggests  evil  thoughts  and 

slyly  withdraweth, 

Who  whispers  evil  into  the  hearts  of  men ; 
From  genii  and  men." 

"Who  says  this?  "  asked  the  stranger.  "Who  reads 
thus  the  heart?" 

172 


ABDALLAH 

"It  is  God  himself"  replied  Abdallah;  "we  are  his. 
If  he  wishes  our  destruction,  our  feet  lead  us  where 
death  awaits  us.  If  he  wishes  our  safety,  death  falls 
before  us  like  a  wounded  lion.  He  saved  Abraham 
in  the  midst  of  the  flames ;  he  drew  Jonah  from  the 
depths  of  the  sea  and  the  belly  of  the  whale." 

"Then  do  you  never  fear  death?" 

"No.  Where  God  commands,  all  precautions  are 
vain.  There  are  two  days  in  our  life  when  it  is  useless 
to  arm  ourselves  against  death,— the  day  when  God 
orders  Azrael  to  strike  us,  and  the  day  when  he  forbids 
him  to  approach  us." 

"  May  we  not  still  fear  the  unknown  hour  that  is 
destined  to  carry  us  away?" 

"No,  not  if  we  have  followed  the  Word  of  God. 
Your  mother  doubtless  told  you  more  than  once  what 
mine  has  often  repeated  to  me,  '  Remember  that  on 
the  day  of  thy  birth  thou  alone  wept,  while  all  around 
thee  rejoiced.  Live  so  that  at  thy  last  moment  all 
around  thee  may  be  in  tears,  while  thou  alone  hast 
no  tears  to  shed;  then  thou  wilt  not  fear  death,  what- 
ever may  be  the  hour  of  its  coming.'" 

"You  dwellers  in  the  desert  are  a  strange  people," 
murmured  the  stranger;  "your  words  are  golden,  but 
your  acts  are  evil."  And  he  involuntarily  carried  his 
hand  to  his  pistol. 

"We  are  the  people  of  the  Prophet"  returned  the 
Bedouin;  "we  follow  his  teachings.  Before  ever  you 
set  foot  in  my  tent"  he  continued,  raising  his  voice, 
"I  knew  you,  Kara  Shitan.  You  are  my  enemy;  you 

173 


ABDALLAH 

came  to  my  dwelling  under  a  false  name.  I  know  not 
the  end  of  your  journey,  and  nothing  would  have 
been  easier  than  for  me  to  rid  myself  of  you ;  but  you 
demanded  my  hospitality,  God  placed  you  under  my 
keeping,  and  this  is  why  I  have  accompanied  you, 
alone  and  unarmed.  If  you  have  evil  thoughts,  may 
God  protect  me !  if  not,  give  me  your  hand." 

"  May  hell  be  my  inheritance  if  I  touch  him  who 
has  spared  me !  "  said  Kara  Shitan.  "  Here  is  my  hand ; 
it  is  that  of  a  soldier  who  returns  evil  for  evil,  and 
good  for  good." 

No  sooner  had  the  Arnaut  uttered  the  words  than 
he  began  to  regret  them .  "  Here  I  have  allowed  myself 
to  be  trifled  with  like  a  child,"  thought  he.  "Shall  I 
give  back  the  five  thousand  douros?  No ;  Omar  is  rich 
enough  to  pay  his  brother's  debt.  Besides,  have  I  not 
rid  him  of  Abdallah?  If  his  heart  has  not  failed  him, 
Leila  by  this  time  is  on  the  way  to  Djiddah.  If  he 
undertakes  to  complain,  let  him  come  for  his  douros. 
I  have  promised  to  kill  some  one;  I  give  him  the 
preference." 

At  this  happy  thought  Kara  Shitan  laughed  to  him- 
self, and  admired  his  own  wit. 

An  instant  after  he  was  seized  with  remorse.  "It 
is  not  natural"  thought  he,  "for  me  to  give  way  to 
such  weakness.  Who  now  will  ask  my  aid?  I  am  like 
an  old  lion  without  teeth  or  claws .  That  young  woman 
who  spoke  to  me  so  gently,  this  Bedouin  who  trusts 
in  me,  the  voice  of  my  mother  which  seems  to  rise 
from  the  tomb,— all  this  is  magic.  Accursed  amulet, 

174 


ABDALLAH 

thou  hast  destroyed  me ! "  and  he  snatched  the  talis- 
man from  his  arm. 

"Captain"  said  Abdallah,  "we  must  plunge  into  the 
desert  if  you  would  not  meet  the  caravan  which  we 
see  yonder  on  the  way  to  the  noble  Medina." 

"No"  said  Kara  Shitan,  "on  the  contrary,  I  shall 
join  it ;  I  need  you  no  longer.  What  shall  I  give  you 
to  show  my  gratitude?  Here,  take  this  talisman.  You 
know  not  what  you  owe  it ;  you  know  not  what  it  costs 
me.  Farewell ;  if  you  hear  me  called  a  coward,  remem- 
ber that  I  have  been  your  guest  and  your  friend." 

And  urging  on  his  camel,  he  rode  off,  leaving  Abdal- 
lah surprised  by  these  strange  words,  the  meaning  of 
which  escaped  him. 

Left  alone,  the  son  of  Yusuf  endeavored  to  fasten 
the  protecting  amulet  about  his  arm.  It  was  a  little 
roll  of  parchment,  wound  around  with  a  silken  thread. 
On  one  side  was  sewed  a  bit  of  velvet,  to  which  some- 
tiling  resembling  a  golden  bee  was  attached .  Abdallah 
uttered  a  cry  of  joy.  He  could  not  be  mistaken;  it 
was  the  third  leaf.  The  shamrock  was  complete.  The 
son  of  Yusuf  had  nothing  more  to  seek  for  on  earth ; 
the  diamond  leaf  awaited  him  in  heaven. 

With  a  soul  overflowing  with  gratitude,  Abdallah 
prostrated  himself  on  the  earth,  and  in  a  voice  full  of 
emotion,  recited  the  Fat-hah: 

"  In  the  name  of  the  clement  and  merciful  God, 
Praise  be  to  God,  the  Lord  of  the  universe, 
The  clement  and  merciful, 
The  King  of  the  day  of  judgment ! 

175 


ABDALLAH 

Thee  alone  do  we  worship,  and  of  thee  alone  do  we  beg 
assistance. 

Direct  us  in  the  right  way, — 

In  the  way  of  those  whom  thou  hast  loaded  with  thy  bless- 
ings, 

Not  of  those  who  have  incurred  thy  wrath,  nor  of  those 
who  go  astray ! 

Amen,  Lord  of  the  angels,  of  the  genii,  and  of  men." 

The  prayer  finished,  Abdallah  turned  his  face  home- 
ward with  a  light  heart  and  joyous  tread.  A  new 
thought  had  entered  his  brain,— a  thought  which  was 
a  new  happiness  in  itself.  Was  it  certain  that  the 
diamond  leaf  had  fallen  within  the  gates  of  Paradise  ? 
Did  not  these  three  leaves,  reunited  from  different 
parts  of  the  globe,  cry  out  for  their  sister?  Could  a 
blessing  of  God  remain  imperfect?  Why  might  not 
a  new  effort,  a  more  entire  devotion  to  the  divine 
will,  obtain  the  highest  prize  for  which  Abdallah's 
heart  sighed? 

Intoxicated  with  this  hope,  the  son  of  Yusuf  walked 
on  without  thinking  of  the  length  and  fatigue  of  the 
journey,  and  the  darkness  alone  forced  him  to  stop. 
The  sky  was  lowering,  and  the  moon  did  not  rise  till 
near  morning.  Wrapped  in  his  burnoose,  the  Bedouin 
threw  himself  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  and  quickly  fell 
asleep.  But  his  thoughts  did  not  quit  the  divine  sham- 
rock; he  saw  it  in  his  dreams.  Then  the  leaves  grew 
and  assumed  a  human  form;  Leila,  Hafiz,  Halima, 
and  poor  Cafour,  hand  in  hand,  formed  the  mysterious 
plant,  and  enriched  him  with  their  smiles  and  love. 

176 


ABDALLAH 

"To-morrow,  my  loved  ones,  to-morrow  we  shall  meet 
again  !  "  murmured  he. 

"Verily,  the  knowledge  of  the  hour  of  judgment 
is  with  God.  No  soul  knoweth  what  it  shall  gain  on 
the  morrow,  neither  doth  any  soul  know  in  what  land 
it  shall  die ;  but  God  is  knowing,  and  fully  acquainted 
with  all  things." 


m 


XXVI 


THE  RETURN 

IEN  the  son  of  Yusuf  awakened,  the 
moon  was  shedding  her  gentle  light  on 
the  earth,  and  the  breeze  of  the  morn- 
ing was  already  felt.  The  impatient 
traveller  quickened  his  steps,  and  on 
mounting  a  small  rising  ground,  he 
saw  the  tents  of  his  tribe  in  the  distance  by  the  first 
beams  of  daylight.  In  front  of  them,  and  nearer  him, 
was  his  own  dwelling;  he  had  waited  for  autumn  before 
removing  from  the  garden  he  had  planted,  the  bower 
in  which  Leila  took  delight. 

At  the  sight  of  his  people  Abdallah  paused  to  take 
breath  and  enjoy  the  spectacle  before  his  eyes.  The 
first  sounds  of  the  morning  were  succeeding  the  calm- 
ness of  the  night.  A  few  women  were  already  on 
their  way  to  the  well,  with  their  pitchers  on  their 
heads;  the  camels  were  stretching  out  their  long  necks 
and  braying;  and  the  sheep  were  bleating  in  their 
folds  for  the  shepherd.  Around  Abdallah 's  tent  all 
was  silent ;  there  was  neither  sound  nor  movement  in 
the  garden.  "My  uncle  is  growing  old,"  thought  the 


178 


ABDALLAH 

Bedouin;  "there  is  great  need  of  me  at  home.  What 
happiness  to  surprise  them  all !  Who  would  have 
thought  once  that  a  day's  absence  would  seem  so  long 
to  me?" 

As  he  descended  the  hill,  a  horse  ran  past  him  at 
full  gallop,— it  was  Hamama.  He  called  her;  the 
frightened  mare  fled  toward  the  Bedouin  village;  for 
the  first  time  she  did  not  hear  the  voice  of  her  master. 

"Who  has  untied  Hamama?"  thought  Abdallah. 
"What  has  frightened  her?  It  is  some  new  prank  of 
Cafour's.  Why  haven't  they  kept  better  guard?" 

He  entered  the  garden,  the  gate  of  which  was  open. 
At  the  sound  of  his  steps  the  dogs  came  out  of  the 
tent,  but  instead  of  running  to  meet  him,  they  set  up 
a  mournful  howl.  "God  is  great!  "  exclaimed  the  son 
of  Yusuf.  "Misfortune  has  entered  my  dwelling." 

In  a  moment  he  felt  the  bitterness  of  death;  he 
tried  to  go  on,  but  his  knees  bent  beneath  him,  and 
a  cloud  passed  before  his  eyes.  He  tried  to  call  out, 
but  his  words  choked  him.  At  last,  with  a  desperate 
effort,  "My  uncle,  my  mother,  Leila,  Cafour,  where 
are  you?"  shouted  he. 

There  was  no  answer.  The  doves  were  cooing  among 
the  branches ;  the  bees  were  humming  around  the  last 
remaining  Howers;  the  water  was  rippling  over  the 
pebbles;  everything  was  living  in  the  garden  —  the 
tent  was  mute  and  lifeless.  Abdallah  dragged  himself 
from  one  clump  of  trees  to  another ;  then  his  strength 
returned,  and  the  blood  mounted  to  his  cheeks.  He 
staggered  onward  like  a  drunken  man. 


ABDALLAH 

The  tent  was  empty,  the  furniture  overturned,  and 
a  table  broken;  there  had  been  a  struggle.  The  cur- 
tain of  the  apartment  of  the  women  was  down.  Abdal- 
lah  ran  thither.  As  he  entered  he  stumbled  over  a 
corpse, — it  was  Hafiz.  The  old  man  was  stretched  on 
his  back,  his  teeth  shut,  his  mouth  covered  with  foam, 
and  his  features  contracted  with  rage.  His  hands  were 
clinched.  In  the  left  he  held  a  shred  of  blue  cotton 
stuff,  — it  was  the  robe  of  Leila;  in  the  right  a  piece 
of  scarlet  cloth,  torn  doubtless  from  the  ravisher. 
Brave  Hafiz !  the  cowards  had  not  dared  attack  him 
face  to  face,  but  had  assassinated  him  from  behind 
while  he  was  defending  Leila. 

Abdallah  fell  on  his  knees  by  the  side  of  his  uncle 
and  closed  his  eyes.  "God  grant  thee  mercy!"  said 
he ;  "may  He  be  as  good  to  thee  as  thou  wert  to  us! " 
He  rose  without  shedding  a  tear,  and  walked  with  a 
firm  step  toward  the  village ;  but  his  limbs  failed  him 
on  the  way,  and  he  was  forced  to  lean  against  a  palm- 
tree  for  support.  Taking  his  pistols  from  his  girdle, 
he  fired  them  in  the  air.  At  the  sound  the  Bedouins 
ran  from  all  sides .  Men  and  women  surrounded  Abdal- 
lah, who  stood  pale,  with  fren/ied  eyes  and  trembling 
limbs.  "  Here  you  are  "  he  cried,  "brave  warriors,  Beni 
Amurs,  kings  of  the  desert !  Oh,  sons  of  Jews,  hearts 
of  women,  cowards,  the  curses  of  God  fall  upon  your 
heads !  "  and  for  the  first  time  he  wept. 

A  cry  of  rage  answered  his  words.  "He  is  mad" 
cried  one  of  the  old  men.  "Respect  him  whose  soul 
is  with  God.  Come,  my  child,"  added  he,  taking 

180 


ABDALLAH 

Abdullah's  hand,  "calm  yourself;  what  is  the  mat- 
ter?" 

"What  is  the  matter?  "  cried  the  young  man.  "This 
night,  in  my  absence,  Hafiz  has  been  killed,  my  mother 
has  been  carried  off,  all  that  I  loved  have  been  snatched 
from  me.  And  you  —  you  were  asleep — you  heard 
nothing.  Curses  on  you!  To  me  the  misfortune;  to 
you  the  outrage  and  infamy !  " 

At  the  first  words  of  Abdallah  the  women  had  rushed 
toward  the  tent,  where  they  were  heard  moaning  and 
weeping.  The  sheik  cast  down  his  head. 

"Who  would  have  thought  of  watching  over  your 
family  when  your  uncle  and  brother  were  there  to 
protect  them"  said  he. 

"My  brother!  impossible! " 

"Your  brother  came  here  last  evening  with  six 
slaves"  said  a  Bedouin.  "I  knew  the  little  merchant; 
I  helped  Hafiz  kill  a  sheep  for  the  supper  of  his 
guests." 

The  son  of  Yusuf  hid  his  face  in  his  hands,  then 
looked  at  his  companions,  and  said  in  a  faint  voice, 
"Come  and  see  what  my  brother  has  done,  and  advise 
me  what  to  do." 

"Advice  is  easy"  replied  the  sheik.  "After  an  out- 
rage there  is  but  one  thought  for  him  who  has  a  soul, 
—  vengeance !  You  are  a  finger  of  our  hand ;  whoever 
touches  you  wounds  us ;  whoever  seeks  your  life  seeks 
ours.  Omar  has  a  few  hours  the  start  of  us,  but  with 
God's  aid  we  will  kill  him  before  night.  Come,  my 
brave  men"  he  added,  "saddle  your  horses  and  take 

181 


ABDALLAH 

a  double  ration  of  water;  the  weather  is  lowering, 
and  the  skins  dry  fast.  Let  us  go." 

Before  mounting  his  horse,  Abdallah  wished  to  see 
his  uncle  once  more.  The  women  had  already  sur- 
rounded the  corpse,  and  commenced  their  lamenta- 
tions. "Oh,  my  father,  my  only  friend,"  cried  the 
Bedouin,  "thou  knowest  why  I  leave  thee!  Either  I 
will  never  more  enter  this  dwelling,  or  thou  shalt  be 
avenged." 

The  Beni  Amurs  followed  the  son  of  Yusuf.  The 
sheik  gazed  long  at  old  Hafiz;  then,  raising  his  hand, 
"Accursed  be  he  who  returns  to  his  wife  till  he  has 
stricken  down  the  enemy!"  said  he.  "Woe  to  him 
who  has  insulted  us !  Before  this  night  we  will  fling 
his  corpse  to  the  eagles  and  jackals.  The  whole  earth 
shall  know  whether  the  Beni  Amurs  are  brethren  who 
cling  together,  or  children  with  whom  men  can  trifle 
with  impunity." 


XXVII 


E  band  set  out  amid  the  cries  of  the 
women  and  shouts  of  vengeance. 
Once  in  the  desert,  all  was  silent,  each 
making  ready  his  arms  and  watching 
the  horizon.  It  was  not  difficult  to 
follow  the  caravan;  the  wind  had  not 
yet  effaced  the  footprints  of  the  camels,  all  of  which 
pointed  toward  Djiddah.  Abdallah,  always  in  advance, 
counted  the  minutes,  and  called  God  to  his  aid;  but 
however  much  he  strained  his  gaze,  he  saw  naught 
but  solitude.  The  air  was  burning;  the  heavens  were 
heavy  with  the  coming  storm.  The  horses,  panting 
and  covered  with  sweat,  advanced  at  a  slow  pace. 
The  son  of  Yusuf  sighed ;  vengeance  seemed  escaping 
him. 

At  length  he  perceived  a  black  speck  in  the  dis- 
tance,—it  was  the  caravan.  It  had  felt  the  approach 
of  the  storm,  and  had  taken  refuge  near  those  Red 
Rocks  known  so  well  to  Abdallah.  "My  friends,  we 
have  them!"  cried  he.  "Here  they  are;  God  has 
delivered  them  into  our  hands.  Forward!"  And  each 


183 


ABDALLAH 

one,  forgetting  fatigue,  spurred  his  horse  on  the  rav- 
ishers. 

In  these  endless  plains  it  is  not  easy  to  surprise  an 
enemy  that  stands  on  his  guard.  Omar  soon  recog- 
nized his  pursuers,  and  did  not  wait  for  them.  He 
ranged  the  camels  in  line,  and  placed  a  few  drivers 
behind  them  to  feign  a  defence,  then  mounted  a  horse, 
and  fled  with  the  rest  of  the  band  into  the  desert. 

The  Bedouins  came  up.  At  the  first  discharge, 
Omar's  camel-drivers  gave  way  and  fled  among  the 
rocks.  Before  the  smoke  was  cleared  away  a  woman 
ran  to  meet  Abdallah, — it  was  Halima,  who  had  been 
left  behind  and  had  escaped  her  enemies. 

"Blessed  be  thou,  my  son!"  she  cried.  "Do  not 
stop!  give  chase  to  that  negro  with  the  red  jacket; 
he  is  the  assassin  of  Hafiz  and  the  kidnapper  of  Leila. 
Avenge  us;  eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth,  life  for  life! 
Death  to  traitors,  death  to  murderers ! " 

At  these  cries  Hamama  rushed  over  the  sands  with 
the  swiftness  of  a  torrent,  as  if  sharing  in  her  master's 
passion.  The  Bedouins  had  great  difficulty  in  keeping 
their  companion  in  sight.  As  for  Abdallah,  rage  made 
him  forget  danger.  "  Cowards ! "  cried  he  to  the  accom- 
plices of  Omar,  "where  would  you  flee  when  God 
pursues  you?"  and  with  drawn  sabre  he  passed  amid 
the  bullets,  his  eye  fixed  on  the  negro  who  was  carry- 
ing off  Leila.  The  pursuer  and  pursued  soon  left  the 
rest  of  the  party  behind.  The  Ethiopian,  mounted  on 
a  fleet  horse,  sped  like  an  arrow  through  the  air,  while 
Abdallah  followed  close  behind.  Hamama  gained 

184 


ABDALLAH 

ground;  vengeance  was  approaching.  Leila,  placed 
in  front  and  held  by  a  powerful  arm,  called  her  hus- 
band, writhing  in  the  stifling  embrace,  and  vainly 
struggling  against  the  terrible  rider.  Suddenly  she 
seized  the  bridle  and  gave  it  a  jerk,  which  disturbed 
the  horse,  and  caused  him  to  stop  for  an  instant. 
"Curses  on  you!"  cried  the  negro;  "I  am  lost!  Let 
go  the  bridle,  or  I  shall  be  killed ! " 

"  Here,  my  beloved ! "  cried  Leila,  clinging  to  the 
bridle,  despite  threats  and  blows,  with  the  energy 
of  despair. 

She  was  saved.  The  son  of  Yusuf  fell  like  a  thun- 
derbolt on  the  ravisher,  when  suddenly  the  frightened 
Hamama  sprang  aside  with  a  bound  which  would  have 
thrown  any  other  than  her  rider.  A  heavy  mass  had 
fallen  at  her  feet.  Abdallah  heard  a  groan  which 
chilled  him  to  the  heart.  Without  thinking  of  the 
flying  enemy,  he  leaped  to  the  ground  and  raised  the 
unhappy  Leila,  pale  and  bleeding,  with  distorted  fea- 
tures. A  deep  wound  was  gaping  in  her  throat,  and 
her  eyes  were  sightless.  "Leila,  my  love,  speak  to 
me ! "  cried  Abdallah,  clasping  his  wife  to  his  heart, 
while  he  tried  to  stanch  the  gaping  wound  from  which 
her  life-blood  was  ebbing.  Leila  no  longer  heard  him. 
He  seated  himself  on  the  sand  with  his  precious  bur- 
den, and  taking  Leila's  hand,  raised  one  finger  in  the 
air.  "My  child"  said  he,  "repeat  with  me,  'There  is 
no  god  but  God,  and  Mohammed  is  his  prophet.' 
Answer  me,  I  entreat  you !  it  is  your  husband, — it  is 
Abdallah  that  calls  you." 

185 


ABDALLAH 

At  this  name  Leila  started;  her  eyes  sought  him 
whom  she  loved,  and  her  lips  half  opened;  then  her 
head  fell  on  Abdallah's  shoulder  like  the  head  of  a 
dying  hare  on  the  shoulder  of  the  hunter. 

When  the  Beni  Amurs  joined  the  son  of  Yusuf, 
they  found  him  motionless  in  the  same  place,  holding 
his  wife  in  his  arms  and  gazing  in  her  face,  which 
seemed  to  smile  on  him.  They  surrounded  their  com- 
panion in  silence,  and  more  than  one  wept. 

At  the  sight  of  the  corpse,  Halima  uttered  a  cry 
of  anguish,  and  threw  herself  on  her  son's  neck;  then, 
suddenly  rising,  "Are  we  avenged?"  said  she.  "Is 
Omar  dead?  Is  the  negro  slain?" 

"See  those  crows  gathering  yonder,"  said  one  of  the 
Bedouins;  "there  is  the  murderer  of  Hafiz.  Omar 
has  escaped  us,  but  the  simoom  is  rising;  it  will  over- 
take him  before  he  can  escape  from  the  desert,  and 
before  an  hour  the  sand  will  serve  as  his  winding- 
sheet." 

"My  son,  summon  up  your  courage"  said  Halima. 
"Our  enemy  still  lives;  leave  tears  to  women.  Leave 
us  to  bury  the  dead ;  go,  punish  the  traitor.  God  will 
go  with  you." 

These  words  reanimated  Abdallah.  "God  is  great ! " 
he  cried.  "You  are  right,  my  mother;  to  you  the 
tears,  and  to  me  the  vengeance." 

He  rose  and  placed  Leila  in  his  mother's  arms ;  then, 
gazing  at  her  pale  face  with  infinite  tenderness,  "  Peace 
be  with  thee,  daughter  of  my  soul !  "  he  said  in  a  slow 
and  grave  voice.  "Peace  be  with  thee,  who  art  now 

186 


ABDALLAH 

in  the  presence  of  the  Lord !  Receive  what  has  been 
promised  thee.  It  is  God  that  raises  us  up;  it  is  God 
that  casts  us  down.  It  is  God  that  gives  us  life;  it  is 
God  that  sends  us  death.  If  it  pleases  God,  we  shall 
soon  join  thee.  O  God,  forgive  him,  and  forgive  us !  " 

He  raised  his  hands  to  heaven,  murmured  the  Fat- 
hah,  and  passing  his  hand  over  his  brow,  embraced 
his  mother  and  mounted  his  horse. 

"Where  are  you  going?  "  said  a  sheik.  "Do  you  not 
see  that  fiery  cloud  advancing?  We  have  barely  time 
to  reach  the  Red  Rocks;  death  is  yonder." 

"Farewell"  answered  Abdallah.  "There  is  no  more 
rest  for  me  except  in  the  shadow  of  death." 


187 


XXVIII 

VENGEANCE 

CARCELY  had  the  son  of  Yusuf  quit- 
ted his  friends  when  he  found  himself 
before  a.  corpse;  it  was  the  negro, 
already  covered  with  birds  of  prey. 
"God  hates  the  treacherous"  mur- 
mured the  Bedouin ;  "  he  will  deliver 


the  son  of  Mansour  into  my  hand." 

The  whirlwind  was  approaching;  the  sky  was  of  a 
milky  white;  the  rayless  sun  looked  like  a  burning 
mill-stone;  and  a  poisonous  blast  dried  up  the  saliva 
in  the  throat  and  melted  the  marrow  of  the  bones. 
A  noise  was  heard  in  the  distance  like  that  of  an 
angry  sea ;  whirlwinds  of  red  dust  rose  from  the  sand 
and  mounted  in  columns  to  the  sky,  like  giants  with 
faces  of  fire  and  arms  of  vapor.  Everywhere  there 
was  desolation,  everywhere  an  implacable  heat,  and 
at  moments  a  silence  even  more  horrible  than  the 
moaning  of  the  simoom. 

Over  this  land,  parched  with  drought,  Hamama 
advanced  slowly,  with  panting  breath  and  palpitating 
sides.  Her  master  had  the  tranquillity  of  a  man  that 


188 


ABDALLAH 

knows  neither  hope  nor  fear.  He  felt  neither  heat 
nor  thirst ;  one  thought  alone  ruled  his  body  and  soul, 
—  to  overtake  the  assassin  and  kill  him. 

After  an  hour's  march  he  saw  a  horse  stretched  on 
the  sand.  A  little  farther  on  he  heard  something  like 
a  sigh.  He  approached  the  spot.  A  man  lay  in  the 
dust  perishing  with  thirst,  and  without  strength  to 
utter  a  cry.  It  was  the  son  of  Mansour.  His  eyes 
were  starting  from  his  head,  his  mouth  was  wide  open, 
and  his  hands  were  pressed  to  his  panting  chest.  De- 
lirious with  pain,  he  did  not  recognize  Abdallah;  all 
that  he  could  do  was  to  carry  his  fingers  to  his  parched 
throat. 

"Yes,  you  shall  have  water,"  said  the  Bedouin;  "not 
in  this  way  shall  you  die." 

He  dismounted  from  his  horse,  took  a  skin  of  water 
from  the  saddle-bow,  and  after  throwing  away  Omar's 
pistols  and  sabre,  put  it  to  the  lips  of  the  dying  man. 
Omar  drank  deeply  of  the  water,  which  restored  his 
life,  and  found  himself  face  to  face  with  Abdallah. 

"You  have  saved  me,"  murmured  he;  "I  recognize 
your  inexhaustible  goodness.  You  are  a  brother  to 
those  who  have  no  brothers,  a  life-giving  dew  to  the 
unfortunate." 

"Son  of  Mansour,  you  must  die,"  said  the  young  man. 

"Pardon,  my  brother!  "  cried  the  merchant,  recov- 
ering the  consciousness  of  danger ;  "you  have  not  saved 
my  life  to  put  me  to  death?  Pardon,  in  the  name  of 
what  is  dearest  to  you  on  earth,— pardon,  in  the  name 
of  her  who  nourished  us  both !  " 

189 


ABDALLAH 

"Halima  curses  you"  returned  the  son  of  Yusuf; 
"you  must  die." 

Terrified  at  the  sinister  air  of  the  Bedouin,  Omar 
fell  on  his  knees.  "My  brother,  I  acknowledge  my 
guilt"  said  he.  "I  have  deserved  your  anger;  but 
however  great  my  fault,  can  I  not  redeem  it?  Take 
all  my  fortune;  be  the  richest  man  in  Arabia." 

"You  have  killed  Hafiz;  you  have  killed  Leila.  You 
must  die"  said  Abdallah. 

"  Leila  dead !  "  exclaimed  the  son  of  Mansour,  burst- 
ing into  tears,  "it  can  not  be.  Her  blood  be  on  her 
murderer's  head;  I  am  not  guilty  of  it.  Spare  me, 
Abdallah ;  have  pity  on  me !  " 

"As  well  implore  the  gates  of  the  tomb"  replied 
the  son  of  Yusuf.  "  Make  haste,"  he  added,  drawing 
his  sabre.  "May  God  give  you  patience  to  endure 
the  affliction  he  sends  you !  " 

"At  least,  my  brother,"  returned  Omar,  in  a  voice 
of  emotion,  "give  me  time  for  a  last  prayer.  You 
would  not  have  the  angel  of  death  seize  me  before  I 
have  implored  the  mercy  of  God?  " 

"Say  your  prayers,"  replied  Abdallah. 

The  merchant  unrolled  his  turban  and  spread  it 
before  him;  then,  throwing  his  robe  over  his  shoul- 
ders and  bowing  his  head,  he  awaited  the  death-blow. 

"God  is  great !  "  he  murmured ;  "there  is  no  strength 
nor  power  but  in  God.  To  Him  we  belong;  to  Him  we 
must  return.  O  God!  sovereign  of  the  day  of  retri- 
bution, deliver  me  from  the  fires  of  hell;  have  pity 
on  me ! " 

190 


ABDALLAH 

Abdallah  gazed  at  him,  weeping.  "It  must  bej'  he 
said  to  himself, — "it  must  be;"  yet  his  heart  failed 
him.  This  wretch  was  his  brother ;  he  had  loved  him, 
—he  still  loved  him.  When  love  has  once  entered 
the  soul,  it  lodges  there  like  the  ball  in  the  flesh; 
tear  it  out  if  you  will,  the  wound  still  remains.  In 
vain  the  son  of  Yusuf  sought  to  rouse  his  courage  by 
calling  to  mind  the  images  of  his  slaughtered  uncle 
and  dying  wife ;  despite  himself  he  could  see  nothing 
but  the  happy  days  of  childhood,  Halima  clasping 
both  her  children  to  her  breast,  and  old  Hafiz  taking 
them  in  his  arms  to  tell  them  of  his  adventures  in 
battle.  The  pleasures  they  had  shared,  the  sorrows 
they  had  had  in  common,— all  these  sweet  recollections 
rose  from  the  past  to  protect  the  son  of  Mansour. 
Strange  to  say,  the  victims  themselves  appeared  to 
ask  pardon  for  the  assassin.  "  He  is  thy  brother,  and 
defenceless,"  said  the  old  soldier.  "  He  is  thy  brother  " 
cried  Leila,  in  tears;  "do  not  slay  him."  "No,  no" 
murmured  the  young  man,  repulsing  the  beloved  phan- 
toms, "it  must  be.  Not  to  punish  crime  is  to  betray 
justice." 

In  spite  of  the  trouble  of  the  son  of  Mansour,  Abdal- 
lah's  hesitation  did  not  escape  his  keen  eye.  Bathed 
in  tears,  he  clasped  the  knees  of  his  judge.  "Oh,  my 
brother"  he  said,  "do  not  add  thy  iniquity  to  mine! 
Remember  what  Abel  said  to  his  brother  when  threat- 
ened by  him:  'If  thou  stretchest  forth  thine  hand  to 
slay  me,  I  will  not  stretch  forth  my  hand  against  thee 
to  slay  thee;  for  I  fear  God,  the  lord  of  all  creatures' 

191 


ABDALLAH 

Alas!  my  folly  has  been  greater  than  that  of  Cain. 
Thou  hast  a  right  to  kill  me ;  my  life  is  too  little  to 
expiate  the  crime  to  which  I  have  been  led  by  my 
passions.  But  the  forgiving  God  loves  those  who  fol- 
low his  example.  He  has  promised  indulgence  to 
those  who  remember  him;  leave  me  to  repent.  He 
has  promised  a  paradise  whose  breadth  equalleth  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  to  those  who  bridle  their  anger; 
pardon  me  that  God  may  show  thee  mercy,  for  God 
loveth  the  beneficent." 

"  Rise !  "  said  Abdallah .  "  Thy  words  have  saved 
thee .  Vengeance  belongs  to  God  alone .  Let  the  Lord 
be  thy  judge;  I  will  not  dip  my  hands  in  the  blood 
of  him  whom  my  mother  has  nursed." 

"Wilt  thou  abandon  me  here?"  said  Omar,  looking 
round  him  anxiously;  "it  would  be  more  cruel  than 
to  slay  me." 

For  his  sole  answer,  Abdallah  pointed  to  Hamama. 
Omar  sprang  on  the  mare,  and  without  turning  his 
head,  buried  his  spurs  in  her  flanks  and  disappeared. 

"Well"  thought  he,  as  he  rode  through  the  billows 
of  sand  upheaved  by  the  wind,  "if  I  escape  the 
simoom,  I  am  saved  from  the  peril  predicted  me.  This 
Abdallah  is  very  imprudent  to  remain  in  the  desert 
in  such  weather,  alone,  without  a  horse,  and  without 
water.  No  matter;  his  folly  be  on  his  own  head.  I 
will  forget  these  accursed  Bedouins,  who  have  never 
brought  me  anything  but  misfortune.  The  time  has 
come  at  last  to  live  for  myself." 


192 


XXIX 


THE  DIAMOND  LEAF 

|HE  wicked  laugheth  in  his  heart  at 
his  success,  and  saith,  "I  am  cunning, 
and  cunning  is  the  queen  of  the  world." 
The  just  submitteth  to  whatever  may 
befall  him,  and  saith,  lifting  his  hands 
to  heaven,  "O  Lord,  thou  causest  to 
err  whom  thou  pleasest,  and  directest  whom  thou 
pleasest.  Thou  art  the  mighty  and  the  wise;  what 
thou  doest  is  well  done." 

Abdallah  turned  his  steps  homeward  with  profound 
sadness.  His  soul  was  still  troubled ;  he  had  expelled 
its  anger,  but  could  not  uproot  its  grief.  Large  tears 
trickled  down  his  face,  while  he  made  vain  efforts  to 
check  them.  "Forgive  me,  O  Lord!"  he  cried;  "be 
indulgent  to  the  weakness  of  a  heart  that  can  not 
submit!  The  Prophet  has  said,  'The  eyes  are  made 
for  tears  and  the  flesh  for  affliction.'  Glory  to  him 
who  holdeth  the  dominion  over  all  things  in  his  hands ! 
May  he  give  me  strength  to  endure  what  he  has 
willed!" 

He  walked  on  thus  in  prayer  amid  the  sands  and 


193 


ABDALLAH 

the  fiery  whirlwinds;  heat  and  fatigue  soon  forced 
him  to  stop.  The  blood  in  his  veins  was  turned  to 
fire ;  a  strange  disorder  troubled  his  brain,  and  he  was 
no  longer  the  master  either  of  his  senses  or  thoughts. 
Devoured  with  a  burning  thirst,  at  moments  both 
sight  and  hearing  deserted  him ;  then  he  saw  in  the 
distance  gardens  full  of  verdure  and  lakes  bordered 
with  flowers;  the  wind  whistled  through  the  trees, 
and  a  spring  gushed  from  among  the  grass.  At  this 
refreshing  sight,  he  dragged  himself  toward  these 
enchanting  waters.  Vain  illusion!  gardens  and  run- 
ning springs  all  vanished  at  his  approach;  there  was 
naught  about  him  but  sand  and  fire.  Exhausted  and 
breathless,  Abdallah  felt  that  his  last  hour  was 
approaching.  "There  is  no  god  but  God,  and  Moham- 
med is  his  prophet"  he  cried.  "It  is  written  that  I 
shall  never  depart  from  this  place.  O  Lord,  come  to 
my  aid !  remove  far  from  me  the  horrors  of  death !  " 

He  knelt  and  washed  his  face  with  the  sand  of  the 
desert,  then,  drawing  his  sabre,  began  to  dig  his  own 
tomb. 

As  he  began  to  stir  the  earth,  it  suddenly  seemed 
to  him  that  the  simoom  had  vanished.  The  horizon 
lighted  up  with  a  glow  softer  than  the  dawn,  and 
the  clouds  slowly  opened  like  the  curtains  of  a  tent. 
Was  it  the  mirage?  None  can  tell ;  but  Abdallah  stood 
mute  with  surprise  and  admiration.  Before  him 
bloomed  a  vast  garden,  watered  by  brooks  flowing  in 
all  directions.  Trees  with  trunks  of  gold,  leaves  of 
emerald,  and  fruits  of  topaz  and  ruby,  covered  broad 

194 


ABDALLAH 

lawns,  enamelled  with  strange  flowers,  with  their  lux- 
uriant shade.  Beautiful  youths,  clad  in  green  satin 
and  adorned  with  costly  jewels,  reclined  on  magnifi- 
cent cushions  and  carpets,  looking  lovingly  at  each 
other,  and  drinking  from  silver  cups  that  water,  whiter 
than  milk  and  sweeter  than  honey,  which  quencheth 
the  thirst  for  ever.  By  the  side  of  the  youths  stood 
enchanting  maidens,  with  large  black  eyes  and  modest 
mien.  Created  of  the  light,  and  like  it  transparent, 
their  grace  ravished  the  eyes  and  the  heart;  their 
faces  shone  with  a  softer  lustre  than  the  moon  emerg- 
ing from  the  clouds.  In  this  kingdom  of  delights  and 
peace,  these  happy  couples  were  smilingly  conversing, 
while  lovely  children,  eternally  young,  surrounded 
them  like  strings  of  pearl,  each  holding  a  vase  more 
sparkling  than  crystal,  and  pouring  out  for  the  blessed 
that  inexhaustible  liquor  which  never  intoxicates,  and 
the  taste  of  which  is  more  delicious  than  the  fragrance 
of  the  pink.  In  the  distance  was  heard  the  angel 
Israfil,  the  most  melodious  of  the  creatures  of  God. 
The  houris  joined  their  enchanting  voices  to  the  notes 
of  the  angel,  and  the  very  trees  rustled  their  leaves, 
and  celebrated  the  divine  praise  with  a  harmony 
exceeding  all  that  man  has  ever  dreamed. 

While  Abdallah  admired  these  marvels  in  silence, 
an  angel  descended  toward  him,— not  the  terrible 
Azrael,  but  the  messenger  of  celestial  favors,  the  good 
and  lovely  Gabriel.  He  held  in  his  hand  a  tiny  dia- 
mond leaf;  but  small  as  it  was,  it  shed  a  light  that 
illumined  the  whole  desert.  His  soul  intoxicated  with 

195 


ABDALLAH 

joy,  the  son  of  Yusuf  ran  to  meet  the  angel.  He 
paused  in  terror ;  at  his  feet  was  a  vast  gulf,  full  of  fire 
and  smoke,  bridged  only  by  an  immense  arch  made 
of  a  blade  of  steel,  which  was  finer  than  a  hair  and 
sharper  than  a  razor. 

The  Bedouin  was  already  seized  with  despair,  when 
he  felt  himself  supported  and  urged  on  by  an  invisible 
power.  Hafiz  and  Leila  were  on  either  side  of  him. 
He  did  not  see  them;  he  dared  not  turn  for  fear  of 
awaking.  But  he  felt  their  presence,  he  heard  their 
soothing  words ;  both  supported  and  carried  him  along 
with  them.  "In  the  name  of  the  clement  and  merciful 
God! "  he  cried.  At  these  words,  which  are  the  key 
to  Paradise,  he  was  transported,  like  lightning,  to  the 
other  side  of  the  bridge.  The  angel  was  there,  hold- 
ing out  the  mysterious  flower.  The  young  man  seized 
it.  At  last  the  four-leaved  shamrock  was  his;  the 
ardor  of  desire  was  quenched;  the  veil  of  the  body  was 
lifted;  the  hour  of  recompense  had  struck.  Gabriel 
turned  his  eyes  toward  the  bottom  of  the  garden, 
where  divine  majesty  was  enthroned.  Abdallah's 
glance  followed  that  of  the  angel,  and  the  eternal 
splendor  flashed  in  his  face.  At  this  lustre,  which  no 
eye  can  endure,  he  fell  with  his  face  to  the  ground, 
uttering  a  loud  cry. 

This  cry  man's  ear  has  never  heard,  man's  voice  has 
never  repeated.  The  delirious  joy  of  the  shipwrecked 
mariner  who  escapes  the  fury  of  the  waves,  the  delight 
of  the  bridegroom  who  presses  his  beloved  for  the 
first  time  to  his  heart,  the  transports  of  the  mother 

196 


ABDALLAH 

•who  finds  the  son  whom  she  has  wept,— all  the  joys 
of  earth  are  naught  but  mourning  and  sorrow  to  the 
cry  of  happiness  which  rose  from  the  soul  of  Abdallah. 
At  this  voice,  repeated  afar  by  the  echoes,  the  earth 
resumed  the  beauty  of  its  days  of  innocence  and  blos- 
somed with  the  flowers  of  Paradise;  the  sky,  bluer 
than  sapphire,  seemed  to  smile  upon  the  earth ;  then 
gradually  silence  fell  on  all  things,  the  heavens  dark- 
ened, and  the  whirlwind  regained  dominion  of  the 
desert. 


197 


XXX 


THE  HAPPINESS  OF  OMAR 

N  re-entering  his  house  at  Djiddah, 
the  son  of  Mansour  experienced  the 
joy  of  a  criminal  escaped  from  death ; 
he  shut  himself  up  to  regain  his  com- 
posure, and  again  viewed  his  wealth 
and  handled  his  gold ;  it  was  his  life 
and  his  power!  Did  not  his  treasures  give  him  the 
means  to  subjugate  men  and  the  right  to  despise 
them? 

Nevertheless,  the  pleasure  of  Omar  was  not  un- 
mixed ;  there  was  still  more  than  one  danger  in  per- 
spective. If  Abdallah  reached  home,  might  he  not 
regret  his  clemency?  If  he  should  die  in  the  desert, 
would  he  not  have  an  avenger?  Might  not  the  sherif 
think  himself  offended?  Might  not  the  pacha  set  an 
extortionate  price  on  his  protection?  The  son  of  Man- 
sour  drove  away  these  importunate  thoughts.  "Why 
be  terrified  "  thought  he,  "  when  the  most  imminent 
peril  is  past,  thanks  to  my  address?  Am  I  at  the  end 
of  rny  resources?  My  real  enemies  have  fallen;  shall 
I  not  overcome  the  others?  Life  is  a  treasure  that 


198 


ABDALLAH 

diminishes  daily;  what  folly  to  waste  it  in  vain  anxi- 
eties! How  difficult  it  is  to  be  perfectly  happy  here 
011  earth ! " 

These  reasonable  fears  were  followed  by  other  cares 
which  astonished  the  son  of  Mansour.  In  spite  of  him- 
self, he  thought  of  old  Hafiz,  whom  he  had  murdered; 
nor  could  he  put  aside  the  remembrance  of  Leila,  or 
of  his  brother  dying  in  the  desert,  the  victim  of  a 
generous  devotion. 

"Away  with  these  foolish  imaginings,  that  whiten 
the  beard  before  the  time!  "  cried  he.  "What  weak- 
ness to  think  of  such  things!  Can  I  change  destiny? 
If  old  Hafiz  is  no  more,  it  is  because  his  time  had 
come.  On  the  day  that  Abdallah  was  born,  his  death 
was  written  before  God.  Why  shall  I,  therefore, 
trouble  myself?  Am  I  not  rich?  I  buy  the  conscience 
of  others;  I  will  buy  repose  for  my  own  heart." 

It  was  in  vain  for  him  to  try;  his  soul  was  like  the 
restless  ocean,  which,  unable  to  appease  its  angry 
waves,  casts  up  mire  and  foam  upon  the  shore. 

"  I  must  gain  time,"  thought  he ;  "  these  feelings 
are  nothing  but  a  remnant  of  agitation,  which  fools 
call  remorse,  but  which  is  nothing  but  a  little  fatigue 
and  feverishness.  I  know  how  to  cure  it.  I  have 
a  wine  of  Shiraz  which  has  more  than  once  con- 
soled me;  why  not  seek  patience  and  forgetfuliiess 
therein  ? " 

He  went  to  his  harem,  and  called  a  Persian  slave 
with  an  enchanting  voice, — a  heretic  who  was  not 
shocked  at  the  use  of  the  cup,  and  who  poured  out 

199 


ABDALLAH 

with  infernal  grace  this  poison  accursed  by  all  true 
Mussulmans. 

"  How  pale  you  are,  master ! "  said  she,  on  seeing 
the  discomposed  features  of  the  son  of  Mansour. 

"It  is  the  fatigue  from  a  long  journey"  answered 
Omar.  "  Pour  me  some  wine,  and  sing  me  one  of  the 
songs  of  your  country,  to  drive  away  care  and  bring 
back  mirth." 

The  slave  brought  two  crystal  cups  set  in  gold  which 
she  filled  with  a  liquor  as  yellow  as  gold  and  as  clear 
as  amber;  then  taking  a  tambourine,  she  struck  it 
alternately  with  her  hand  and  elbow,  and  waved  it 
over  her  head,  while  she  sang  one  of  the  perfumed 
odes  of  the  Bulbul  of  Shiraz. 

"Pass  round  the  flowing  bowl,  child, 

Filled  to  the  brim  with  bright  wine; 
All  the  ills  and  woes  of  life 

Are  healed  in  this  juice  divine. 
Has  Time  writ  his  lines  on  thy  brow? 

Has  sleep  through  the  night  fled  thine  eyes? 
Cast  into  these  liquid  flames 

Thy  regretful  cares  and  thy  sighs. 

"Away  with  that  drinker  morose, 

Who  mourns  for  the  years  that  are  gone ; 
In  these  wines  of  amber  and  rose 

The  flowers  and  the  spring  live  on. 
Are  the  roses  dead  in  their  bowers? 

Has  the  nightingale  left  thee  alone? 
Drink,  drink,  and  the  clink  of  the  glass 

Shall  be  sweet  as  the  bulbul's  tone. 


.'00 


ABDALLAH 

"  Leave  Fortune,  the  treacherous  sprite, 

To  the  weak  or  the  wicked  throng ; 
What  good  can  she  give  us  more, 

Since  she  leaves  us  wine  and  song? 
The  false  one,  lightly  betrayed, 

Nightly  in  visions  I  see; 
Oh,  wine,  give  me  back  the  sweet  dream ! 

Oblivion  and  love  are  in  thee." 

" Yes,  give  me  oblivion"  cried  the  son  of  Mansour. 
"  I  know  not  what  is  the  matter  with  me  to-day ;  this 
wine  saddens  instead  of  diverting  me.  Strike  your 
instrument  louder;  sing  faster;  make  more  noise; 
intoxicate  me." 

The  beautiful  Persian  sang  merrily,  striking  her 
tambourine:  — 

"  Hafiz,  thou  squanderest  life ; 

'  In  the  wine-cup  death  lurks,*  say  the  old. 
Oh,  sages,  he  envies  you  not, 

Nor  your  snowy  locks  nor  your  gold. 
You  may  chide  him,  but  still  he  will  drink; 

Day  and  night  he  will  still  drink  deep, 
For  wine  only  can  cause  him  to  smile, 

Wine  only  can  cause  him  to  weep." 

"  Curses  on  you ! "  cried  Omar,  raising  his  hand  to 
strike  the  slave,  who  fled  affrighted.  "What  name  do 
you  bring  me?  Can  not  the  dead  rest  in  their  graves? 
Will  they  come  even  here  to  trouble  my  repose  ?  After 
ridding  myself  of  my  enemies,  shall  I  care  for  phan- 
toms? Away  with  these  chimeras!  I  will  tear  out 
these  memories  from  my  heart ;  in  spite  of  them  all, 

201 


ABDALLAH 

I  will  laugh  and  be  happy."  As  he  said  this,  he  uttered 
a  cry  of  terror.  Cafour  stood  before  him. 

"Where  do  you  come  from,  child  of  the  Devil?" 
he  exclaimed .  "  What  are  you  doing  in  my  house  ?  " 

"  That  is  what  I  wish  to  know "  answered  the  child ; 
"it  was  not  by  my  will  that  your  servants  carried  me 
to  your  harem." 

"Begone!  I  do  not  wish  to  see  you." 

"I  will  not  go  till  you  have  given  me  back  my 
mistress.  I  belong  to  Leila;  I  wish  to  serve  her." 

"Your  mistress  has  no  more  need  of  your  services." 

"Why?"  said  the  negress. 

"Why?"  replied  the  son  of  Mansour,  in  a  broken 
voice.  "You  will  know  by  and  by.  Leila  is  in  the 
desert;  go  and  find  her." 

"No"  said  Cafour,  "I  shall  stay  here,  and  wait  for 
Abdallah." 

"  Abdallah  is  not  in  my  house." 

"He  is;  I  have  seen  his  hoi-se." 

"My  servants  brought  away  the  horse  at  the  same 
time  with  you." 

"No,  they  did  not"  returned  Cafour;  "before  your 
servants  seized  me,  I  had  let  Hamama  loose.  She 
was  more  fortunate  than  I;  she  escaped.  If  she  is 
here,  Abdallah  must  be  here  too;  if  not,  what  have 
you  done  with  your  brother?" 

"Away  from  here,  insolent  wretch !  I  will  not  be 
questioned  by  you.  Dread  my  anger;  I  can  cause  you 
to  die  under  the  bastinado."  His  eyes  glared  at  these 
words  like  a  madman's. 

202 


ABDALLAH 

"Why  do  you  threaten  me?  "  said  Cafour,  in  a  milder 
tone.  "Although  I  am  but  a  slave,  perhaps  I  can 
serve  you.  You  have  some  hidden  trouble;  I  see  it 
in  your  face.  This  trouble  lean  dispel.  In  my  country 
we  have  spells  to  cure  the  heart.  Were  sorrow  or 
even  remorse  preying  upon  your  soul,  I  could  draw  it 
thence  as  the  bezoar-stone  draws  the  venom  from  a 
wound." 

"You  have  this  power,  a  child  like  you !  "  said  Omar, 
ironically,  looking  at  Cafour,  whose  eyes  steadfastly 
met  his  gaze.  "Why  not?  "  he  added;  "these  Maghrebi 
negroes  are  all  children  of  Satan;  they  know  their 
father's  secrets.  Well,  yes,  I  have  a  sorrow;  cure  me, 
and  I  will  reward  you." 

"  Have  you  any  hashish  in  your  house?"  said  Cafour. 
"Let  me  mix  you  a  drink ;  I  will  restore  your  gayety." 

"Do  what  you  will"  replied  Omar.  "You  are  a 
slave;  you  know  that  I  am  rich  and  generous.  I  have 
confidence  in  you;  I  wish  at  any  price  to  enjoy  life." 

Cafour  soon  found  the  hashish-leaves.  She  brought 
them  to  the  son  of  Mansour,  who  followed  her  move- 
ments with  an  eager  eye.  She  took  the  plant,  washed 
it  three  times,  and  rubbed  it  in  her  hands,  muttering 
strange  words.  She  then  pounded  the  leaves  in  a 
copper  mortar,  and  mixed  them  with  spices  and  milk. 
"Here  is  the  cup  of  oblivion"  said  she;  "drink  and 
fear  nothing." 

No  sooner  had  Omar  drunk  than  he  felt  his  head 
suddenly  grow  light;  his  eyes  dilated,  and  his  senses 
became  marvellously  acute,  yet,  strange  to  say,  he 

203 


ABDALLAH 

seemed  moved  by  the  will  of  Cafour.  If  she  sang,  he 
repeated  the  song ;  if  she  laughed,  he  burst  into  shouts 
of  merriment ;  if  she  was  grave,  he  wept ;  if  she  threat- 
ened him,  he  trembled.  As  soon  as  the  negress  saw 
him  in  her  power,  she  set  to  work  to  wrest  his  secret 
from  him. 

"You  are  satisfied"  said  she;  "you  are  avenged  on 
your  enemies?" 

"Yes,  I  am  satisfied"  said  Omar,  laughing;  "I  am 
avenged.  The  beautiful  Leila  will  no  longer  love  her 
Bedouin." 

"Is  she  dead?"  asked  Cafour,  in  a  trembling  voice. 

"  She  is  dead,"  said  Omar,  weeping ;  "  but  I  did  not 
kill  her:  it  was  the  negro.  Poor  woman!  she  would 
have  been  so  well  off  in  my  harem ! " 

"And  you  no  longer  fear  Abdallah ! "  said  Cafour, 
with  an  exulting  air. 

"No,  I  do  not  fear  him.  I  took  his  horse,  and  left 
him  alone  in  the  desert,  exposed  to  the  simoom.  He 
will  never  more  quit  it." 

"Lost  in  the  sands, — dead,  perhaps !  "  cried  Cafour, 
tearing  her  clothes. 

"  How  could  it  be  helped?  "  said  Omar,  in  a  plaintive 
voice.  "It  was  destiny.  It  had  been  predicted  to  me 
that  my  best  friend  would  be  my  worst  enemy.  The 
dead  always  love  you;  they  harm  no  one." 

"What  friend  had  you  to  fear, — you  who  had  never 
loved  any  human  being?  "  cried  the  negress.  "  Hold !  " 
she  added,  struck  with  a  sudden  inspiration;  "shall  I 
show  you  this  friend  who  will  cause  your  death  ?  " 

204 


ABDALLAH 

"  No,  no !  "  exclaimed  Omar,  trembling  like  a  child 
threatened  with  the  rod.  "Amuse  me,  Cafour;  do  not 
make  me  sad." 

"  Look !  "  said  the  slave,  placing  a  mirror  before  his 
eyes.  "See  the  assassin  of  Hafiz;  see  the  murderer 
of  Leila;  see  the  fratricide;  see  the  villain;  see  him 
for  whom  there  is  no  more  repose !  Wretch !  you  have 
loved  no  one  but  yourself!  Your  selfishness  has  been 
your  ruin;  your  selfishness  will  be  your  death." 

At  the  sight  of  her  contracted  features  and  haggard 
eyes  Omar  stood  terrified.  A  new  light  dawned  on  his 
soul;  he  abhorred  himself,  and  tore  his  beard  in  despair. 
Shame  soon  restored  his  consciousness:  he  looked 
around  him,  and  at  the  sight  of  Cafour  possessed  of  his 
secret,  he  fell  into  a  paroxysm  of  rage.  "Wait,  child 
of  perdition !  "  he  cried,  "I  will  punish  your  insolence; 
I  will  send  you  to  join  your  Abdallah." 

Giddy  as  he  was,  he  attempted  to  rise;  his  foot 
slipped.  He  struck  against  the  table,  and  dragged 
the  lamp  with  him  in  his  fall ;  his  clothes  caught  fire, 
and  in  an  instant  his  whole  body  was  in  flames.  "  Die, 
villain!"  cried  Cafour;  "die  like  a  dog.  Abdallah  is 
avenged ! " 

The  son  of  Mansour  uttered  lamentable  shrieks, 
which  reached  the  inmates  of  the  harem.  They  ran 
to  his  aid.  At  the  sound  of  their  footsteps,  Cafour  set 
her  foot  on  the  face  of  Omar,  and  with  a  bound  sprang 
to  the  outer  door  and  disappeared. 


205 


TWO  FRIENDS 

jjHILE  the  slaves  flew  to  the  succor  of 
the  son  of  Mansour,  Cafour  saddled 
Hamama,  took  a  skin  of  water  and 
some  provisions,  and  galloped  through 
the  narrow  streets  of  Djiddah.  The 
night  was  dark,  and  the  storm  was 
rumbling  in  the  distance.  The  child  began  to  stroke 
the  horse  and  talk  to  it,  as  if  the  brute  understood . 
"Oh,  dear  Hamama"  said  she,  "take  me  to  your 
master.  Together  we  will  save  Abdallah.  You  know 
how  much  he  loves  you ;  no  other  hand  has  cared  for 
you ;  help  me  to  find  him .  Thanks  to  you,  I  will  restore 
him  to  his  mother;  together  we  will  weep  for  Leila, 
and  I  will  comfort  him.  Do  this,  dear  Hamama,  and 
I  will  love  you."  She  embraced  the  horse,  and  stretch- 
ing herself  along  the  neck  of  the  animal,  gave  it  full 
rein.  Hamama  darted  onward  like  an  arrow,  as  if  led 
by  an  invisible  hand.  As  she  rushed  past  an  Arnaut 
post  at  daybreak,  the  frightened  sentinel  discharged 
his  gun,  declaring  that  he  had  seen  Satan  mounted 
on  a  white  horse  fleeter  than  the  wind. 


206 


ABDALLAH 

Thus  flew  Hamama,  without  pausing  or  needing  to 
drink.  A  strange  instinct  impelled  her  toward  her 
master.  She  went  straight  toward  him,  regardless  of 
the  beaten  track,  over  rocks,  through  beds  of  rivers, 
and  across  deep  gullies,  with  God  for  a  guide. 

Toward  midday  Cafour  perceived  Abdallah  in  the 
distance,  prostrate  on  the  sand,  as  if  in  prayer.  "  Mas- 
ter! master!"  she  cried,  "here  I  am!"  But  neither 
the  tread  of  the  horse  nor  the  cries  of  the  child  roused 
Abdallah  from  his  contemplation.  Hamama  stopped; 
but  he  did  not  stir.  Cafour,  trembling,  ran  to  him. 
He  seemed  asleep;  his  face  was  beaming  with  ecstasy; 
a  heavenly  smile  was  on  his  lips ;  sorrow  had  fled  that 
countenance  which  had  been  a  prey  to  such  suffering. 
"  Master !  master !  speak  to  me! "  cried  the  poor  slave, 
clasping  him  in  her  arms.  He  was  cold ;  life  had  quit- 
ted the  mortal  covering.  God  had  called  to  himself 
this  spirit  made  for  heaven. 

"Abdallah !  "  cried  Cafour,  throwing  herself  on  him 
and  covering  him  with  kisses,  "Abdallah,  I  loved  thee!" 
And  she  rendered  up  her  soul  to  God. 

Hamama  gazed  long  at  the  two  friends  with  anxiety, 
and  laid  her  burning  nostrils  again  and  again  on  Cafour's 
cheek;  then  she  stretched  herself  on  the  sand,  with 
her  eyes  fixed  on  the  two  bodies,  to  await  the  awak- 
ening of  those  who  were  never  to  wake  again  on  earth. 

Long  after,  some  Bedouins,  wandering  in  the  des- 
ert, discovered  Abdallah  and  Cafour  in  the  sands,  so 
closely  embraced  that  it  was  necessary  to  put  them 
into  the  same  coffin.  Strange  to  say,  the  beasts  of 

207 


ABDALLAH 

prey  had  devoured  the  horse,  but  not  a  vulture  had 
alighted  by  day  on  the  head  of  Abdallah,  not  a  jackal 
had  touched  by  night  the  body  of  Cafour. 

Under  the  shade  of  the  palms  by  the  Well  of  the 
Benediction,  two  mounds  of  earth,  surrounded  with 
stones  to  keep  off  the  jackals,  mark  the  spot  where 
the  Bedouin,  the  Egyptian,  and  the  negress  await 
together  the  day  of  judgment.  The  fragrant  jessa- 
mine, trailing  from  the  branches  of  the  trees,  festoons 
the  tomb,  and  surrounds  it  all  the  year  with  odorous 
blossoms.  Here  the  weeping  Halima  mourned  her 
children  till  summoned  by  Azrael  to  join  them;  and 
here  the  wearied  travellers  pause,  before  quenching 
their  thirst  at  the  blessed  well,  to  recite  a  Fat-hah 
in  honor  of  Abdallah,  well  named  the  servant  of  God. l 

'Abdallah  in  Arabic  signifies  the  servant  of  God. 


208 


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